Bible Verses
Prov. 15:4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it is a breaking of the spirit.
Matt. 12:34 Offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Words of Ministry (Part 2 of 2)
To be wholesome is to be temperate, mild, and moderate. When a man speaks too much, his tongue becomes hot, and when his tongue is hot, the tree of life is gone. A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. A wholesome tongue is a tongue that is not quick, foolish, or excessive. Such a tongue is like a tree of life. One cannot smell the flavor of Christ in a Christian who loves idle words. Those who love idle words cannot supply life to others. Idle words are a big hole which leak away one's life.
Idle words leak away life. What then should we do? In order to keep our mouth, we must first deal with our heart. The Lord says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). When the heart has something, the mouth speaks it out. If we have something in our heart, sooner or later, it will come out of our mouth. If we do not speak it here, we will speak it elsewhere. If we do not speak it in this house, we will speak it in another house. Whatever is in the heart, the mouth will speak out. Therefore, in order to learn before the Lord to stop our idle words, we must start by dealing with our heart. If we do not deal with our heart, our mouth can never be dealt with properly. It is the heart that is first filled with all kinds of things before the mouth speaks of them. Never think that a word can be said in a heartless way. The Lord's Word shows us that there is not such a thing. As long as there is a word, there is a heart for it. Because there is a heart for something, the mouth speaks. Hence, in order to deal with idle words, we
must first deal with the heart.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, General Messages, Vol. 37, in The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, pp. 54-55. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Not Leaking Life through Idle Words (1)
Bible Verses
Prov 13:3 He who guards his mouth keeps his soul, But he who opens wide his lips will have destruction.
Matt 12:36 And I say to you that every idle word which men shall speak, they will render an account concerning it in the day of judgment. (37) For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
Words of Ministry(Part 1 of 2)
We are not sure whether Solomon was referring to physical life or spiritual life when he wrote this proverb [above]. But let us consider spiritual things based on this principle. A seeker of the Lord, who has life and wishes to supply the church with life, must be careful with his words. If we are not careful with our words, life will leak away. Why are some people not very useful in the hand of the Lord? They are not useful because life has leaked away. One only touches death in them; one does not touch any life in them because the life has leaked away through their words. Therefore, we have to guard our mouth, even keeping a close watch on it. Many stories testify that nothing leaks away life as much as idle words. This does not mean that sin is better than idle words. However, it does mean that next to sin the most debilitating thing for our life is our idle words.
Does Matthew 12:35 say “every filthy word“? No. Does it say “every blasphemous word“? No. Does it say “every evil word“? No. It says “every idle word.” Idle words are redundant words, incongruous words, unnecessary words, and gossiping words. We have to realize that not only are blasphemous words serious but loose words are also serious. It is a serious thing to speak idle words as well as filthy words. If we offend anyone through idle words, there is no way to make a recompense for this. We can confess to others, and we can retract our words, but the sound has reached others' ears, and we cannot take it back. It is possible to make a recompense if we have stolen from others. But it is impossible to make a recompense if we have offended others with idle words. This sin will have to go before the Lord.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, General Messages, Vol. 37, in The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, pp. 53-54. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Prov 13:3 He who guards his mouth keeps his soul, But he who opens wide his lips will have destruction.
Matt 12:36 And I say to you that every idle word which men shall speak, they will render an account concerning it in the day of judgment. (37) For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
Words of Ministry(Part 1 of 2)
We are not sure whether Solomon was referring to physical life or spiritual life when he wrote this proverb [above]. But let us consider spiritual things based on this principle. A seeker of the Lord, who has life and wishes to supply the church with life, must be careful with his words. If we are not careful with our words, life will leak away. Why are some people not very useful in the hand of the Lord? They are not useful because life has leaked away. One only touches death in them; one does not touch any life in them because the life has leaked away through their words. Therefore, we have to guard our mouth, even keeping a close watch on it. Many stories testify that nothing leaks away life as much as idle words. This does not mean that sin is better than idle words. However, it does mean that next to sin the most debilitating thing for our life is our idle words.
Does Matthew 12:35 say “every filthy word“? No. Does it say “every blasphemous word“? No. Does it say “every evil word“? No. It says “every idle word.” Idle words are redundant words, incongruous words, unnecessary words, and gossiping words. We have to realize that not only are blasphemous words serious but loose words are also serious. It is a serious thing to speak idle words as well as filthy words. If we offend anyone through idle words, there is no way to make a recompense for this. We can confess to others, and we can retract our words, but the sound has reached others' ears, and we cannot take it back. It is possible to make a recompense if we have stolen from others. But it is impossible to make a recompense if we have offended others with idle words. This sin will have to go before the Lord.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, General Messages, Vol. 37, in The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, pp. 53-54. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Monday, July 26, 2010
A Lover of Christ
Bible Verses
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. (23) Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.
Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Words of Ministry
To believe in Him [Jesus Christ] is to receive Him, and to love Him is to enjoy Him. We all have believed in Him. This means that we all have received Him. But the problem today is whether we love Him or not. Although you have received the Lord Jesus and He is now within you, you may not love Him. We need to be a lover of the Lord Jesus all day long.
His presence is always related to our love toward Him. The more we love Him, the more we enjoy His presence. What is His presence? It is simply the enjoyment of Himself. As long as we have His presence, we enjoy Him. The more we love Him, the more we shall have His presence. The more we are in His presence, the more we shall enjoy all that He is to us. We only need to love Him. Knowing means nothing; only loving counts. How we all need to love Him! I have been loving Him for fifty years and today I feel that He is more lovable than ever. No one is as lovely as He is. Song of Songs says that He is altogether lovely (5:16).
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-Study of John, pp. 383. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
John 14:21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, he is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. (23) Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.
Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
Words of Ministry
To believe in Him [Jesus Christ] is to receive Him, and to love Him is to enjoy Him. We all have believed in Him. This means that we all have received Him. But the problem today is whether we love Him or not. Although you have received the Lord Jesus and He is now within you, you may not love Him. We need to be a lover of the Lord Jesus all day long.
His presence is always related to our love toward Him. The more we love Him, the more we enjoy His presence. What is His presence? It is simply the enjoyment of Himself. As long as we have His presence, we enjoy Him. The more we love Him, the more we shall have His presence. The more we are in His presence, the more we shall enjoy all that He is to us. We only need to love Him. Knowing means nothing; only loving counts. How we all need to love Him! I have been loving Him for fifty years and today I feel that He is more lovable than ever. No one is as lovely as He is. Song of Songs says that He is altogether lovely (5:16).
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-Study of John, pp. 383. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Not Being Able to Please God
Bible Verses
Rom. 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. (7) Because the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither can it be. (8) And those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Phil. 3:3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh,
Words of Ministry
The man who minds the flesh is the natural man, the original man, the man who is according to his natural birth. This man is not subject to the law of God, neither can he be. Yet the Word of God tells us not only that the fleshly man sins but also that the fleshly man attempts to do good, because verse 8 says, “And those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” This obviously indicates that the man of flesh attempts to please God. No matter how hard he may try, in the end he still cannot please God. Regardless of how man serves God through his flesh, the result is always the same -- he cannot please God. His offering, like that of Cain, can never be accepted by God. Only one offering is acceptable to God: our cross and our death. This is like the fat -- a sweet-smelling offering before God.
Therefore, our greatest service to God is not how much we can do for Him or how much we can accomplish for Him but how much we can die. But this is not acceptable to many self-righteous men. Man often measures everything by his own work, thinking that if he can have fruit, if he can help others repent and believe in the Lord, he can bring all these offerings to God. But we should know one thing: We cannot serve God according to our work. Man's greatest offering to God is to be on the altar, which is death. Was there ever an offering accepted by God which did not pass through the altar? Was there ever an offering that passed through the altar and still lived? All offerings to God must go through death.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, General Messages, Vol. 37, in The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, pp. 47-48. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Rom. 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace. (7) Because the mind set on the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, for neither can it be. (8) And those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Phil. 3:3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God and boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh,
Words of Ministry
The man who minds the flesh is the natural man, the original man, the man who is according to his natural birth. This man is not subject to the law of God, neither can he be. Yet the Word of God tells us not only that the fleshly man sins but also that the fleshly man attempts to do good, because verse 8 says, “And those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” This obviously indicates that the man of flesh attempts to please God. No matter how hard he may try, in the end he still cannot please God. Regardless of how man serves God through his flesh, the result is always the same -- he cannot please God. His offering, like that of Cain, can never be accepted by God. Only one offering is acceptable to God: our cross and our death. This is like the fat -- a sweet-smelling offering before God.
Therefore, our greatest service to God is not how much we can do for Him or how much we can accomplish for Him but how much we can die. But this is not acceptable to many self-righteous men. Man often measures everything by his own work, thinking that if he can have fruit, if he can help others repent and believe in the Lord, he can bring all these offerings to God. But we should know one thing: We cannot serve God according to our work. Man's greatest offering to God is to be on the altar, which is death. Was there ever an offering accepted by God which did not pass through the altar? Was there ever an offering that passed through the altar and still lived? All offerings to God must go through death.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Watchman Nee, General Messages, Vol. 37, in The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, pp. 47-48. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
惟有神叫人生長
聖經經節
林前三6：我栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了，惟有神叫他生長。7：可見栽種的算不得甚麼，澆灌的也算不得甚麼，只在那叫他生長的神。
林後三5：並不是我們憑自己彀資格將甚麼估計作像是出於我們自己的；我們之所以彀資格，乃是出於神。
職事的話
在六、七節保羅不但說到栽種和澆灌，也說到生長。保羅強調惟有神叫人生長的事實。在神耕地上的生長，為著神的建築產生材料。
既然叫人生長的乃是神，我們就必須將生長的事交給祂。我們的責任是栽種並澆灌，不是幫助別人生長。我們若試圖幫助別人生長，就越過我們的責任。使聖徒生長，是過於我們能力所及的。我們沒有人能在別的信徒裡面產生生長。甚至保羅也不能叫聖徒生長。他非常清楚我們能栽種並澆灌，但惟有神叫人生長。我們栽種並澆灌的時候，需要憑信有把握，神會叫人生長。我們需要信神在這裡，祂會使我們所栽種並澆灌的生長。我們若有這把握，就不會想要幫助別人生長。
我們若想要幫助別的植物生長，也許就破壞他們，把他們拔出來。我曾讀到一個故事，一個小男孩，因著他家附近的草長得不好而受困擾。他想要幫助草生長，就將許多草的葉片拔高。(結果，草沒有生長，反而死了。)這小男孩對草所作的，說明今天有些聖徒在召會生活裡所作的。有些召會裡的長老不是在栽種並澆種；他們反倒努力要幫助聖徒生長，就是把他們往上拔。但長老越這樣幫助，植物長得越少。
(c) Living Stream Ministry。經文取自聖經恢復本，闡釋部份取自李常受著〝哥林多前書生命讀經〞第246至 247頁。以上著述均由美國加州安那翰市水流職事站發行。
若需要更多相關的出版資訊請連結至水流職事站中文網站查詢
林前三6：我栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了，惟有神叫他生長。7：可見栽種的算不得甚麼，澆灌的也算不得甚麼，只在那叫他生長的神。
林後三5：並不是我們憑自己彀資格將甚麼估計作像是出於我們自己的；我們之所以彀資格，乃是出於神。
職事的話
在六、七節保羅不但說到栽種和澆灌，也說到生長。保羅強調惟有神叫人生長的事實。在神耕地上的生長，為著神的建築產生材料。
既然叫人生長的乃是神，我們就必須將生長的事交給祂。我們的責任是栽種並澆灌，不是幫助別人生長。我們若試圖幫助別人生長，就越過我們的責任。使聖徒生長，是過於我們能力所及的。我們沒有人能在別的信徒裡面產生生長。甚至保羅也不能叫聖徒生長。他非常清楚我們能栽種並澆灌，但惟有神叫人生長。我們栽種並澆灌的時候，需要憑信有把握，神會叫人生長。我們需要信神在這裡，祂會使我們所栽種並澆灌的生長。我們若有這把握，就不會想要幫助別人生長。
我們若想要幫助別的植物生長，也許就破壞他們，把他們拔出來。我曾讀到一個故事，一個小男孩，因著他家附近的草長得不好而受困擾。他想要幫助草生長，就將許多草的葉片拔高。(結果，草沒有生長，反而死了。)這小男孩對草所作的，說明今天有些聖徒在召會生活裡所作的。有些召會裡的長老不是在栽種並澆種；他們反倒努力要幫助聖徒生長，就是把他們往上拔。但長老越這樣幫助，植物長得越少。
(c) Living Stream Ministry。經文取自聖經恢復本，闡釋部份取自李常受著〝哥林多前書生命讀經〞第246至 247頁。以上著述均由美國加州安那翰市水流職事站發行。
若需要更多相關的出版資訊請連結至水流職事站中文網站查詢
Monday, July 05, 2010
Three Aspects of Christ's Death
Bible Verses
John 1:29 Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!
John 3:17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Words of Ministry
The Lord's death has three aspects... When He was nailed to the cross, He was the Lamb of God bearing our sins and shedding His blood for our redemption. This is the first aspect, and every genuine Christian is familiar with it.
However, not many Christians are familiar with the second [and third] aspect of the Lord's death, which is that on the cross the Lord Jesus was crucified in the form of a serpent in order to destroy the old serpent and the serpentine nature within our being. This is the Satan-destroying aspect. The third aspect of the Lord's death is the life-releasing aspect. The divine life was in that little man Jesus just as life is confined in a grain of wheat. Since the life is concealed in the grain, the shell must be broken that the inward life might be released.
...The divine life has been imparted into us, and we are now the many grains that have been produced out of that one grain. These many grains are good for making one loaf, which is the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:17), the church. Formerly, we were sinners with the serpentine nature, having nothing to do with the divine life. But by the Lord's all-inclusive death our sins have been removed, our serpentine nature has been dealt with, and the divine life has been imparted into our being. Now we have become living grains who, composed together, become one loaf, the church. Praise Him!
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-Study of John, pp. 319. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
John 1:29 Behold, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!
John 3:17 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Words of Ministry
The Lord's death has three aspects... When He was nailed to the cross, He was the Lamb of God bearing our sins and shedding His blood for our redemption. This is the first aspect, and every genuine Christian is familiar with it.
However, not many Christians are familiar with the second [and third] aspect of the Lord's death, which is that on the cross the Lord Jesus was crucified in the form of a serpent in order to destroy the old serpent and the serpentine nature within our being. This is the Satan-destroying aspect. The third aspect of the Lord's death is the life-releasing aspect. The divine life was in that little man Jesus just as life is confined in a grain of wheat. Since the life is concealed in the grain, the shell must be broken that the inward life might be released.
...The divine life has been imparted into us, and we are now the many grains that have been produced out of that one grain. These many grains are good for making one loaf, which is the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:17), the church. Formerly, we were sinners with the serpentine nature, having nothing to do with the divine life. But by the Lord's all-inclusive death our sins have been removed, our serpentine nature has been dealt with, and the divine life has been imparted into our being. Now we have become living grains who, composed together, become one loaf, the church. Praise Him!
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-Study of John, pp. 319. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA.
如何栽種和澆灌
聖經經節
林前三6：我栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了，惟有神叫他生長。
彼前一23：你們蒙了重生，不是由於能壞的種子，乃是由於不能壞的種子，是藉著神活而常存的話。
約翰七38：信入我的人，就如經上所說，從他腹中要流出活水的江河來。39：耶穌這話是指著…那靈說的…
職事的話
栽種是供應生命並分賜生命給在屬靈上死了的人，使這人成為活的。當生命分賜給死在罪中的人，他就成為活的植物。因著保羅分賜生命給哥林多人，他在基督裡就是他們的父親。在四章十五節他說，『你們在基督裡，縱有上萬的導師，父親卻不多，因為是我在基督耶穌裡藉著福音生了你們。』保羅到哥林多以前，哥林多人還不是『植物』；反之，他們是死了的罪人。但保羅訪問他們，將生命分賜給他們，他們就成為活的植物。這是栽種的第一面。
在召會生活裡我們不但必須學習如何栽種，也必須學習如何澆灌。事實上，澆灌別人非常容易。假定一位聖徒【信徒】帶著難處到你這裡來。不要想解決這人的難處。事實上，我們不能解決別人的難處。你自己豈不是有許多尚未解決的難處麼？既然你沒有解決自己的難處，你如何期望幫助別人解決他們的難處？因此，在澆灌聖徒上，我們該忘記想要解決他們的難處。
神是我們的父，至終祂會顧到所有的難處。要緊的事乃是澆灌。照著我的經歷，澆灌別人最好的作法就是同他們禱讀幾節經文。例如，一位弟兄也許題起關於工作或家庭生活的難處。不要摸難處，要同他禱讀主的話。有時候單單同那人禱告就彀了。藉著禱告，那人就被帶到主面前，我們也被更深的帶到主裡面。結果，雙方都得著澆灌。
(c) Living Stream Ministry。經文取自聖經恢復本，闡釋部份取自李常受著〝哥林多前書生命讀經〞第243頁及 245至246頁。以上著述均由美國加州安那翰市水流職事站發行。
若需要更多相關的出版資訊請連結至水流職事站中文網站查詢
林前三6：我栽種了，亞波羅澆灌了，惟有神叫他生長。
彼前一23：你們蒙了重生，不是由於能壞的種子，乃是由於不能壞的種子，是藉著神活而常存的話。
約翰七38：信入我的人，就如經上所說，從他腹中要流出活水的江河來。39：耶穌這話是指著…那靈說的…
職事的話
栽種是供應生命並分賜生命給在屬靈上死了的人，使這人成為活的。當生命分賜給死在罪中的人，他就成為活的植物。因著保羅分賜生命給哥林多人，他在基督裡就是他們的父親。在四章十五節他說，『你們在基督裡，縱有上萬的導師，父親卻不多，因為是我在基督耶穌裡藉著福音生了你們。』保羅到哥林多以前，哥林多人還不是『植物』；反之，他們是死了的罪人。但保羅訪問他們，將生命分賜給他們，他們就成為活的植物。這是栽種的第一面。
在召會生活裡我們不但必須學習如何栽種，也必須學習如何澆灌。事實上，澆灌別人非常容易。假定一位聖徒【信徒】帶著難處到你這裡來。不要想解決這人的難處。事實上，我們不能解決別人的難處。你自己豈不是有許多尚未解決的難處麼？既然你沒有解決自己的難處，你如何期望幫助別人解決他們的難處？因此，在澆灌聖徒上，我們該忘記想要解決他們的難處。
神是我們的父，至終祂會顧到所有的難處。要緊的事乃是澆灌。照著我的經歷，澆灌別人最好的作法就是同他們禱讀幾節經文。例如，一位弟兄也許題起關於工作或家庭生活的難處。不要摸難處，要同他禱讀主的話。有時候單單同那人禱告就彀了。藉著禱告，那人就被帶到主面前，我們也被更深的帶到主裡面。結果，雙方都得著澆灌。
(c) Living Stream Ministry。經文取自聖經恢復本，闡釋部份取自李常受著〝哥林多前書生命讀經〞第243頁及 245至246頁。以上著述均由美國加州安那翰市水流職事站發行。
若需要更多相關的出版資訊請連結至水流職事站中文網站查詢
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