0716 神掌管的概念
…何況你們在天上的父，豈不更把好東西給求祂的人嗎？ 《馬太福音 7:11》
耶穌在這段經文中為那些有祂靈的人制定了行為準則，祂敦促我們心中要充滿神掌管一切的概念，這意味着門徒必須保持完全信任以及熱切祈求和尋找的態度。
讓你的心思充滿神就在這裡的想法，一旦你的心思真正地被這樣想法充滿，當你遇到困難時，你就會像呼吸一樣容易記住：「我的天父知道這一切！」這根本毫不費力，但當困難和不確定性出現時，這對你來說會是很自然的事情。在你的心中形成如此強大的神掌管的概念之前，以往你會找人幫忙，從這個人到那個人，但現在你會去找神。耶穌為那些有祂靈的人制定了行為準則，它基於以下原則運作：神是我的父，祂愛我，我絕不會想到祂會忘記任何事情，所以我為什麼要憂慮呢？
耶穌說，有時神不能從你身上除去黑暗，但你應該信任祂。有時神會看起來像一個不友善的朋友，但祂不是；祂會看起來像一個不自然的父親，但祂不是；祂會看起來像一個不公正的法官，但祂不是。要保持這樣的想法：神的心意是在一切事物的背後；這種思想要強烈且不斷增強。除非神的旨意在背後，否則即使是生活中最小的細節也不會發生。因此，你可以在完全信靠中安息。禱告不僅是祈求，更是一種心態，它能產生一種氛圍，在其中，祈求是完全地自然。 「你們祈求，就給你們…」（馬太福音7:7）
來自章伯斯的智慧
讀書永遠不可能讀得太多，但要始終記住你為什麼讀。要記住，最重要的是「必需接受、認識和依靠聖靈。」《蒙神悅納》
0716 The Concept of Divine Control
…how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! —Matthew 7:11
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God’s control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, “My heavenly Father knows all about this!” This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him. At times God will appear like an unkind friend, but He is not; He will appear like an unnatural father, but He is not; He will appear like an unjust judge, but He is not. Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God’s will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
It is impossible to read too much, but always keep before you why you read. Remember that “the need to receive, recognize, and rely on the Holy Spirit” is before all else. Approved Unto God, 11 L