你的信救了你-意志主動的要

「你的信救了你，平平安安的去罷！你的災病痊愈了。」（馬可福音五34）


馬可福音中有一位患了血漏的女人，由於她的病是那麼難以啟口，而眾人又擁擠著耶穌，這使她心中興起一個念頭：「我只摸祂的衣裳，就必痊癒。」在耶穌尚未回應之前，她已相信，已有決心，已有行動！耶穌頓時感覺有能力從祂身上出來，這個女人的病也立刻完全好了。

「你的信救了你」是說明她的行動，乃是出於她裡面的信心；惟有以信心去接觸主，才能得著主的醫治。患血漏的女人只從心裡禱告，就得了主的醫治；可見禱告蒙主垂聽，在乎存心，不在乎話語。我們若伸出信心的手來摸主，主的能力也必能使我們勝過難處。

今天也有多少人終日圍繞耶穌，靠近耶穌，但都沒有摸著祂。雖然也讀聖經、唱詩歌、敬拜主，卻沒有舉起信心的手去摸耶穌。


【職事信息－意志主動的要】

A reflection concerning the character of the Lord's worker

I mean, this is not my first time reading this book. However, the Lord has been exposing my weaknesses as a Lord's worker.

Recently, I have a deep realisation that I'm such a soft person- way too soft. My emotion is easily touched by things and persons, and this very point weakens my work as well. When I said being touched by things and persons, it can mean even positive feelings. Regardless of the positive or negative feelings I sense, they are just as shakable and cannot be used by God.

As many have thought that I'm a relatively stable person, well, I thought that as well until the Lord exposes me. However, I am thankful that the light has come to me now better than later. I do desire to be turned to a real "Peter" who eventually became a stable and solid person who God can use.

"We must remember the principle that God secures ministers before He builds the church. God first looks for ministers, and then He builds the church. The doors in many places can only be opened when God finds suitable and usable ministers. If His ministers and servants are not stable and reliable, these doors will not be opened".

"Thank God that Peter saw his weakness through his failure. His fall was severe and his failure great. He went away and wept. He knew that he could not make it by himself. Many brothers and sisters are likewise fully conscious of their own weakness, instability, and frailty. Let us pray to the Lord, saying, "Lord, I cannot make it!" Many people pray for light, yet very often great failures are a source of great light. These failures can provide as much a light as a severe rebuke or a seething message. A man should prostrate himself before God's word. He should prostrate himself before a severe rebuke. Likewise, he should prostrate himself before a serious failure. Such a failure is a light in itself. God shows through failures the kind of person one is. Peter wept bitterly. But God's mercy was upon him, and he became a real "Peter." He was changed from a weak and shaking person to a solid and stable person, and the door of Pentecost was opened through him. May the Lord be gracious to us so that we will witness a change in our character. Our character has to be changed, and the Lord can change our character. A lazy man can be changed into a diligent man; a talkative man can be changed into a man of few words; an insensitive man can be changed into a man who listens; a man who is afraid of sufferings can be changed into one who is fearless in the face of sufferings; a man who cannot control his body can be changed into one who is a master of his body. In the same way, a weak, shaky, and wobbly man can be changed into a strong, stable, and unwavering man. May the Lord have mercy on us."

Lord, have mercy! Amen. 

What are the hindrances for the life to be manifested?

John 10:30; 37-38

"I and the Father are one."

"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; But if I do them, even if you do not believe Me, believe the works so that you may come to know and continue to know that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father."

Sometimes in the church life, we think we are focusing on life. Because of this, if the work does not seem effective or bearing fruit, we might say "that's okay, it is a matter of life. If it doesn't work out, then don't be too bothered about it because we're not really focusing on the work".

I wasn't sure whether this kind of attitude is okay or not.

However, this morning when I read John chapter 10, I realise that if we really pay attention to life, the life shall manifest at a certain point in the Lord's work. As Jesus is one with the Father, so whatever He did, people should be able to recognise from the work that the Father is in Jesus, and Jesus is in the Father.

Additionally, I read the booklet "expecting the Lord's blessing" from Watchman Nee. If the Lord does not bless us, whatever we do is in vain.

All of these just remind me of my portion in the Lord's move in Europe. I am at where the Lord has placed me, but am I a hindrance for the Lord to pour out His blessing? How about the people I have been shepherding, is there any fruit coming out from me being one with the Father?

Lord, I do not want to fall into introspection but at the same time, I do not want to be fruitless. You must bless me, and if there is anything hindering Your blessing, shine on me and burn them away. I desire to be a cleansed channel for You to flow out!

His promise for two things

Recently I've been asking for two main things concerning my future direction. And the reason why I needed to ask Him about these two matters during this particular time is that first, I was struggling and hurt by a certain matter. Without His Rhema Word I cannot go on properly with boldness. And second, these two years will be the best time for me to prepare for these two things. I need to make sure that what I am doing now is with His blessing and He has to grant me the energy to do it.

Previously I just prayed about these two matters but not really asked about the Rhema Words from Him. This time I asked, and I've got these verses from Him in my Bible reading time.

Luke 10:1-4
Now after these things, the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to come. Ans He said to them, The harvest is great, but the workers few; therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest that He would thrust out workers into His harvest. Go; behold, I send you as lambs in the midst of wolves. Do not carry a purse, nor a bag, nor sandals; and greet no one on the way. 

"After these things" was recorded by Luke chapter 9. At the end of chapter 9, there were several verses talking about "following the Lord". The Lord spoke to people involved in different situations, He literally called them out of whatever they concerned. He called them to follow Him. And then chapter 10 follows to demonstrate how the Lord sent these disciplines out for His work.

I was originally a bit concerned about whether I should be the person who initiates the Lord's "sending" me to a place that I'm burdened for. However, I shouldn't fall into introspection. What I need to do the most is to pray, to beseech the Lord when I see the need.

In the Cambridge dictionary, to beseech is to ask for something in a way that shows you need it very much.

I've already seen the need, and I have some feeling about this place. What I need is to ask the Lord that I need to join this work very much. I need it because He needs it even more. This is part of His fulfilment of His Word. This corresponds to a ministry portion I've read recently in Samuel life-study. Hannah's prayer might be seemingly human but her prayer matches the need of the Lord. Who needs this prayer the most? God or Hannah? Of course, it is God. Without Hannah's prayer, God has no channel on the earth that He can work. God's needing of Hannah's prayer is even bigger than Hannah's need to have a son. Additionally, because of Hannah's prayer is one with the Lord's will, that's why it is answered by God.

We need to be the ones who mingle ourselves to be one with the Lord's will. Then our desire will be His desire and His desire is ours.

Also, the Lord doesn't send people one by one. Praise the Lord, He's gonna send me with a companion.