双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：9月12日 神赐能力

9月12日

神赐能力

祂（主）对我说：我的恩典够你用的；因为我的能力，是在人的软弱上显得完全；所以我更喜欢夸自己的软弱，好叫基督的能力覆庇我。哥林多后书12:9

归信是罪人心智的自愿改变，一方面他脱离罪，另一方面转向基督。归信是人性在神所成就的“新生”或“重生”中发生的巨大转变，这是人由罪转向基督。

圣经教导我们：神使人转向祂自己，但人也被劝要自己转向神。神是新心和新灵的创造者，然而人被命令去为自己造一颗新心和新灵。这是恩典和自由意志的古老悖论奥秘。

除非靠神的恩典，没有人能回转，因为我们太软弱了，不能独自回转；我们只有在外部的刺激下才会回转。

但除非有自己的自由意志，没有人能归信，因为神不会凌驾于人的选择之上。我们可能没有选择的自由，因为罪会削弱我们的道德选择能力；但我们拥有拒绝的自由，我们可能拒绝被拣选。

西门彼得直到耶稣呼召他说“来跟从我”之后，才能成为门徒。但有的人听到了同样的呼召，却拒绝或推辞了。一个人说：“主啊，容我先回去埋葬我的父亲。”另一个人说：“容我先去辞别我家里的人。”这些人拒绝了基督的呼召。

神的呼召与人接受或拒绝神恩典的责任，两方面的结合贯穿了整本圣经，也是神对待人的特点。

圣经让我们看到：人在道德上内在的独立性和灵性上对神的依赖。

诗篇18:29大卫用生动的语言写道：“藉着我的神，我能跳过墙。”一个人凭自己的意志和努力可以跳过一些障碍，但有些墙太高了，他需要的不止是这些。

诗人知道这样的墙，只有在神的帮助下才能跳过。神不会把人举起来。而当一个人起跳时，神就会帮助他。

今日祷告：

父啊，凭着信心我迈出这一步，来接受在祢恩典中所赐给我的。感谢主！奉耶稣的名，阿们。

September 12

YOU CAN LEAP WALLS

And he[the Lord]said unto me,My grace is sufficient for thee:for my strength is made perfect in weakness.Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,that the power of Christ may rest upon me.2 Corinthians 12:9

Conversion is that voluntary change in the mind of a sinner in which he turns on the one hand from sin and on the other hand to Christ.Conversion is the human side of the tremendous transformation that takes place in the divinely wrought“new birth,”or“regeneration.”It is simply man’s turning from sin to Christ.

The Scripture teaches that God turns men to Himself,but men are also exhorted to turn themselves to God.God is represented as the author of the new heart and the new spirit,yet men are commanded to make for themselves a new heart and a new spirit.It is the old paradox of grace and free will.

No one can be converted except by the grace of God,for we are too weak to turn ourselves,unaided;and we turn only in response to some stimulus provided outside ourselves.

But no one can be converted except with the consent of his own free will,because God does not override human choice.We may not be free to choose,because sin weakens our power of moral choice;but we are free to refuse.We can refuse to be chosen.

Simon Peter could not become a disciple until Jesus called him and said,“Follow Me.”But others heard the same call and refused it or put it off.One said,“Lord,let me first go and bury my father.”Another one said,“Let me first say farewell to those at my home.”These men refused Christ’s call.

This combination of divine calling and the human responsibility of accepting or refusing God’s grace runs throughout the Bible and characterizes all God’s dealings with men.

The Bible confronts us with man’s moral independence within himself and his spiritual dependence upon God.

In the picturesque words of Psalm 18:29(RSV),David says,“By my God I can leap over a wall.”A man can jump over some barriers by his own will and effort,but some walls are so high that they need more than this.

The psalmist knew such walls.Those could be leaped only with the help of God.God does not lift a man over.God helps a man when he takes the leap.

Pray for the Day:

Father,by faith,I take this step to accept that which You have offered to me by Your grace.Thank You,Lord,in Jesus’Name,Amen.