第十篇　带领人用灵化祷圣经

　　本篇信息我们要交通，如何把读经化作祷告，好帮助少年弟兄姊妹，用灵化祷圣经，摸着主自己。在带领少年人之先，要先向他们说明，圣经里虽然有教训，但是圣经并非以教训为目的，而是以供应“营养”为目的。圣经是超过教训的，是要透过教训，将神的话供应到人的灵里，作人生命的粮食，使人得着生命的营养。

　　在这一点上，我们都需要从人天然的观念里蒙拯救。在人天然的观念里，总以为书是一种知识的凭借，为着传述某一种教训。圣经表面看来也是一本书，和世界的书一样，都是白纸印着黑字。所以无论是老年人、少年人，一拿到圣经，难免认为圣经也是要灌输一些知识和思想，叫我们得到知识和教训。许多基督徒多多少少也有这种观念；然而，我们要让弟兄姊妹看见，圣经和其他书不一样。圣经不仅仅是给我们一些教训，圣经乃是要透过教训，给我们生命的食粮，给我们属灵的营养。所以我们读圣经，不重在得教训，乃是重在得生命的粮食和属灵的营养。

　In this chapter we will fellowship concerning how to turn our reading of the Scriptures into prayer so that we may help the young people to use their spirit to pray and touch the Lord. Even though the Bible contains teachings, we should explain to the young people that the purpose of the Bible is not to give us teachings but to supply us with food. The Bible is more than teachings; its teachings are merely a means to supply our spirit with God’s word as food in order for us to be nourished with life.

　We need to be rescued from the natural concept that a book is an instrument of teaching to convey knowledge. On the surface, the Bible is a book like any other book in the world, with black letters printed on white paper. Hence, when a person receives a Bible, he often regards the Bible as if it were the same as any other book that can impart some knowledge. Many Christians have this concept. However, we must show the young people that the Bible is different from any other book. The Bible is not a book that contains merely teachings. Rather, the Bible supplies us with spiritual nourishment by means of its teachings. Hence, when we stress the matter of reading the Bible, we should not emphasize the matter of receiving teachings but the matter of receiving spiritual nourishment.

　　其次，要说明这个食粮并不是知识，不是一般人所认为的精神食粮。今天人把报纸、杂志、小说、或科学知识等，当作一种所谓的精神食粮，是因那些文字书籍传达了一些世界的知识或学说。然而，圣经不是这样，圣经所给我们的食粮，乃是基督，就是主自己。我们读圣经，是要接受生命的食粮，就是接受基督，也就是接受三而一的神。父在子里，子成为灵，这三而一的神，乃是寄托在圣经的话里。所以，我们接触圣经，要用祷告读圣经，好从圣经里得到生命的食粮；这也就是要用灵摸着基督，接受主耶稣。

　We should explain that the nourishment we receive from the Scriptures is not food for the soul. Newspapers, magazines, novels, or scientific studies provide food for the soul or for the mind because these printed materials convey knowledge and theories about the world. In contrast, the Bible supplies us with Christ, the Lord Himself. We should read the Bible in order to receive spiritual nourishment related to life. This means that when we read the Bible, we should receive the Triune God. The Triune God—the Father in the Son as the Spirit—is embodied in the words of the Bible. Hence, when we contact the Bible, we need to read the Bible with prayer so that we may receive spiritual food by touching Christ and receiving the Lord Jesus in our spirit.

　　有人或许会提出这样的问题：圣经中不是也有很多篇幅，说到与基督不相关的教训？譬如，“你们跟不信的，不要不配地同负一轭。”（林后六14）这是关乎婚姻和交友的事，这样的话明明是教训，不见得和基督有什么关系。又譬如，圣经中常提到殷勤的事（罗十二8，11，林前七35，彼后一5，10），好像也和基督不太有关。似乎从圣经里的确能举出许多例子，表面看和基督没有多少关系。然而，我们要知道，基督乃是圣经的中心；圣经一切的话，都以基督为中心，再从这个中心往外延伸，直达到圆周。所以，我们若是读圣经，只存着一个接受教训的态度，我们就不会摸着基督，也得不着这些教训和基督的关系。

　　我们读圣经时，应当把基督当作圣经的中心目标；这样，我们就会看出所有的教训与基督的关联。基督就像是车轮的中心，从轴心张开一条条的轮辐，直达到边缘，而成为一个整体的车轮。圣经的真理就如同一个整体的车轮，基督是这车轮的中心，从这一个中心出来许多教训，无一不与基督有关。有的是直接相关，有的是间接相关，有的是间接又间接的相关。我们若是有这样的观念，就能找出圣经中所有的教训，与基督相关联的地位。

　When we speak of touching the Lord as we read the Bible, some may say that this is not possible, because there are many portions in the Scriptures that do not contain teachings related to Christ. For example, 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not become dissimilarly yoked with unbelievers,” which concerns marriage and friendship. Such a word seems to be unrelated to Christ. The Bible also speaks of diligence in Romans 12:8 and in 2 Peter 1:5 and 10, which again seems unrelated to Christ. It is possible to cite numerous examples in the Bible that do not appear to be related to Christ on the surface. However, we must realize that Christ is the center of the Bible; all the words in the Bible take Christ as the center and extend outward to the circumference of every matter. If our thought in reading the Bible is limited to merely receiving teachings, we will not touch Christ or see the relationship between teachings and Christ.

　When we read the Scriptures, we should take Christ as the center in order to see the connection between a teaching and Christ. Christ can be compared to the hub of a wheel. Many spokes spread out from the hub of a wheel to the rim of the wheel, forming a complete wheel. The truths in the Bible should be considered from the standpoint of a complete wheel, that is, Christ being the center of the wheel and all the teachings coming out of Him as spokes and being related to Him as the rim. Some teachings are directly related to Christ, and others are indirectly related; however, all are connected to Him. If we have such a concept, we will discover the proper place for each teaching in its relation to Christ.

　　我们若是存着摸着基督、接触基督的心读圣经，就能得着主耶稣作我们的食粮。这样，当我们读到林后六章十四节：“你们跟不信的，不要不配地同负一轭。”我们就能清楚地了解，为什么信的和不信的，不要不配的交友并结婚，因为这会阻碍我们对基督的经历。信的人与不信的人配在一起，并不能帮助信的人更多经历基督，反而拦阻他们的经历。所以我们看见，信的人不要和不信的配在一起，是为要保守信徒在一个境地，能享受基督并经历基督。

　　圣经中说到殷勤和谨慎等美德，也都是这个原则。一个懒惰的人定规会失去经历基督的机会；一个不谨慎、马虎的人，不能盼望他有多少机会经历基督。一个会经历基督的人，定规是个殷勤、安静、仔细、谨慎的人。然而，并不能说一个人安静、仔细、谨慎、殷勤就能经历基督。只是一个人若不谨慎、不仔细、不殷勤，定规不能经历基督。我们这样读圣经，就能知道为什么圣经有这么多教训，因为这些教训是要保守人在一个境地，叫人能够经历基督。

　　你若要留在一个境地，经历基督，就要接受圣经的教训。你若违反这些教训，你就没有保障，没有约束，也没有规律；结果你就会从经历基督的地位岔出去。圣经里许多的教训，都是保障、约束和规律，把你我保守在一个确定的立场上，叫我们能享受基督。你若是常常这样来摸圣经，慢慢的你就会从圣经的前后文里，找出这些教训和基督的关联。譬如，你读到林前一章二节：“祂是他们的，也是我们的。”这意思是基督是所有信祂之人的分。三十节又说，“这基督成了从神给我们的智慧：公义、圣别和救赎。”这给我们看见，哥林多前书里的教训，都是在基督里的故事。所有的教训，你都能把它直接或间接的联于基督，因为基督乃是圣经的中心。

　　圣经既不是一本教训的书，我们读经的时候，就不该盼望从圣经得着教训。我们乃是要借着祷告，化读圣经，吸取主自己。圣经是一本供应生命的书，是生命的粮。我们读圣经的时候，要从其中得着供应，得着生命的粮食。我们所得生命的供应、生命的粮食，就是基督自己。虽然其中说到好些事并不直接谈到基督，但都是为着保守我们，约束我们，把我们摆在一个地位，叫我们能经历基督，向着基督。所以，那些教训和基督都有直接、间接的关系，都能联到基督身上。

　If we read the Scriptures with the intention of touching Christ and contacting Christ, we will receive the Lord as our food. Thus, when we read 2 Corinthians 6:14, which says, “Do not become dissimilarly yoked with unbelievers,” we will clearly realize that believers and unbelievers should not have intimate friendships or be dissimilarly yoked in marriage, because this will hinder us from experiencing Christ. When a believer marries an unbeliever, it will not be a help to the believer in gaining more of the Lord; rather, it will hinder his experience. Hence, a believer not being dissimilarly yoked with an unbeliever will keep the believer in the best possible condition to experience and enjoy Christ.

　It is in this regard that the Bible speaks of virtues such as diligence and prudence. A slothful person will miss numerous opportunities to experience Christ, and a careless and sloppy person will not be able to grasp many opportunities to experience Christ. A person who experiences Christ must be diligent, quiet, careful, and prudent. This does not mean, however, that a person who has these qualities will experience Christ automatically. It only means that a person who does not have these qualities will have great difficulty in experiencing Christ. If we read the Bible in this way, we will realize that it contains many teachings that will keep us in a condition to experience Christ.

　If we desire to remain in a condition that is most favorable to experiencing Christ, we need to receive the teachings in the Scriptures. If we go against these teachings, we will not be protected, restricted, or regulated. As a result, we will lose our ground to experience Christ. The Bible contains many teachings that serve to protect, restrict, and regulate us in order to keep us on the proper ground for the experience and enjoyment of Christ. If we touch the Bible in this way, the connection between these teachings and Christ will gradually become clear. For example, we may read 1 Corinthians 1:2, which speaks of Jesus Christ as being “theirs and ours.” This word means that Christ is the portion of all the believers. Verse 30 continues, saying, “Of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” This shows that all the teachings in 1 Corinthians are related to the believers’ being in Christ. We can connect all the teachings in the Bible directly or indirectly to Christ because He is the center of the Bible.

　Since the Bible is not merely a book of teachings, receiving teachings from it should not be our first consideration. Rather, we should read the Bible by praying over it to absorb the Lord. The Bible is a book that supplies life; the Bible is the bread of life. When we read the Bible, we should receive a supply of life from it. This supply of life is Christ Himself. Although there are many items in the Bible that do not speak directly about Christ, they keep us, restrict us, and put us in a position to experience Christ and turn our being toward Him. Hence, all the teachings in the Bible are related directly or indirectly to Christ.

　　现在，我要说到把读经化作祷告的实际操练。第一，我们用祷告化读圣经，并不在乎我们讲得多、读得多、或交通得多，乃在乎我们要多用祷告，化开圣经的话。这样的读经不重在明白，不重在研究，也不重在谈论和交通，乃重在用祷告把我们所读的，吸收到我们里面。所以，这样的读经最好不要讲解太多，也不要彼此发表太多感觉。

　　如果有感觉要发表，要用祷告的方式发表。比方，我们四个人一起读经，我一有了感觉，不要讲出来，而要用祷告把感觉发表出来。当我这样祷告的时候，听见我祷告的人，会受影响，而引发他的灵感，并把他的灵感祷告出来。若是第三者也起了影响，引起了灵感，也把它化作祷告；这样祷告到一个地步，会比我们用讲的还要透切明白。因为这不仅是头脑里的明白，更是化到我们灵里的供应。所以不重在讲解，不重在交通，乃重在祷告。

　Now we must speak concerning the practical exercise of coming to the Scriptures in prayer. When we come to the Scriptures, rather than giving priority to expounding or studying the Scriptures, we should pray using the words of the Scriptures in order to open up the Bible. This kind of reading does not emphasize studying or even discussion and fellowship. Rather, it emphasizes the absorption of the spiritual content of the Scriptures. With this kind of reading, exposition and discussion are not critical.

　If there is a sense while we are reading that some point should be expressed, it is best to express it through prayer. For example, if four brothers are reading the Bible together, a brother who has a certain sense about a verse should express it through prayer. When he prays in this way, another brother may receive some inspiration, which he, in turn, can express through prayer. In this way the meaning of a portion of the Bible will become even clearer than if he tried to express the meaning through explanatory words. We will also gain more than a mental understanding of the Word; instead, the words that we read will become a supply in our spirit. When we read the Word, we should emphasize prayer much more than just explanation and discussion.

　　第二，这样化祷圣经，不要读太多经节。因为读得太多，就化不开。这如同吃饭一样，不要摆上太多菜，摆上太多，容易令人眼花撩乱，无法细细品尝其中的精髓。同时，不要吃得太大口，或吃得太快，乃要细嚼慢咽，才能吃得好，吃得有消化。所以，不在乎你吃得多，乃在乎你吃得好。当然在化祷时，也有一点技术上的讲究。有的地方，你必须读完一整段圣经节，才能化祷。譬如，马太一章的家谱，只读两三节会觉得太枯干，需要读完整个家谱，再选其中一段化祷。这在技术上需要有一点练达。有的圣经节，一句就很丰富，就足够化祷了。

　Second, when we use the Scriptures to pray, we should not use too many verses. It is difficult to absorb many verses. This is like trying to eat a meal when there is too much food on the table; it is easy to be distracted by the choices, and it also causes those who are eating to not fully taste or appreciate the food. It also encourages one to take big bites or to eat too quickly so that the food is not digested properly. The amount of food is not important; rather, eating in the proper way is important. Likewise, when we pray over the Bible, there are certain skills that we need to learn. Sometimes we may need to read through an entire section of verses and then pray over a few verses within the section. For example, if we read only two or three verses of the genealogy in Matthew 1, we may feel very dry. It would be better to read through the entire genealogy and then select a small section to pray over. This requires discernment, because in other sections the verses are so rich that it is enough to read and pray over just one verse.

　　第三，最好要有带领的人，不是来讲解，而是把化祷的经节作一点说明。这千万不要长篇大论，只要指点一下即可。譬如，约翰一章一节的“太初有话”。你可以点一点说，这个话是太初就有的，这个话就是主自己，万物都是借着这个话成的。生命就在这个话里面，在这个话里的生命，就是照亮我们的光。只要把这一段重点指出来，就可以了。

　　至于马太一章的家谱，也要点一点，给人看见，主耶稣是大卫的子孙，亚伯拉罕的子孙。从亚伯拉罕下来共有四十二代：前一段是从亚伯拉罕到大卫；下一段是君王的家谱，从大卫到被掳；后一段是失去王位的先祖，从被掳到马利亚的丈夫约瑟。或者再点一下，这个家谱里共有五个女人，其中只有马利亚是贞洁的童女，其他四个都不太好，有犹大的儿媳他玛，撒门的妻子喇合，波阿斯的妻子路得，还有大卫所娶乌利亚的妻子拔示巴。主耶稣是从贞洁的童女马利亚生的。之后，再点一下，为什么主耶稣是亚伯拉罕、大卫的子孙。亚伯拉罕是信心的始祖，大卫是君王时代的开创者。主耶稣一面是亚伯拉罕的子孙，由以撒所预表；一面也是大卫的子孙，由所罗门所预表。总而言之，整个家谱给我们看见，主耶稣是神来作了人的后裔，而且是一个承受产业、承继王位的人。亚伯拉罕的子孙是要承受产业的，而大卫的子孙是要承受王位的。带领的人只要点一下重点就可以了。

　It is best if a serving one can give a little explanation of the verses that the young people will pray over. This is not a matter of giving a long exposition or message; a brief point or two will be sufficient. For example, if the selected verse is John 1:1, it is enough to point out that the Word was in the beginning, that the Word is the Lord Himself, and that all things came into being through the Lord as the Word. We can also point out that in the Lord is life and that this life is the light that shines in us. It is sufficient to point out these crucial points.

　Concerning the genealogy in Matthew 1, we can point out that the Lord Jesus is the son of David and the son of Abraham and that there are forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ in the genealogy. The first section is from Abraham to David, the next section is the genealogy of the kings from David until the time of captivity, and the last section is of the forefathers who lost the kingdom from the time of captivity until Mary’s husband, Joseph. Perhaps the serving one can point out that this genealogy mentions five women. Among them, only Mary was a chaste virgin, while the other four were not so good. These four were Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah; Rahab, the wife of Salmon; Ruth, the wife of Boaz; and Bathsheba, whom David married and who had been the wife of Uriah the Hittite. We can also point out the reason that the Lord Jesus is called the son of Abraham and the son of David. Abraham is the father of faith, whereas David is the beginning of the generations of the kings. On one hand, the Lord Jesus is the son of Abraham, typified by Isaac; on the other hand, He is the son of David, typified by Solomon. In short, the entire genealogy shows that the Lord Jesus is God coming to be a descendant of man. Furthermore, He is the One who receives the inheritance as well as inherits the throne. The son of Abraham receives the inheritance, whereas the son of David inherits the throne. It is good enough if these crucial points are mentioned briefly.

　　第四，一定要带人祷告。从前我们带领人祷告，人都有二个推辞：第一，不会祷告。第二，没有话，没有感觉。现在，我们若有这样的操练，就没有借口了；因为祷告不需要自己编，只要用圣经的话祷告就可以了。譬如，约翰一章一节，你可以说，“主啊，太初有话，话与神同在，话就是神。”这就是你祷告的话，或者你可以把语气改变一下。至于，没有感觉、没有话语等问题，也同样得着解决了。你读的圣经就是话，并且你应该信，你一用圣经的话祷告，就会有感觉、有题目可以祷告。你可以说，“主啊，感谢你，太初有话，话就是你。”或者你可以多说一点。有时不一定读的时候就有感觉，乃是祷告时，就有灵里的供应。你祷告的时候，灵里头会有话，话就有感觉，你立刻照着这感觉说，“主啊，你就是神的话。你把神向我们说明了，你也常在我们里面对我们说话。”这是很自然的，一点都不是太难。

　We must lead the young people to pray. In the past when we asked them to pray, they would say that they did not know what words to pray or that they did not have any feeling to pray. Now that we are practicing praying the Word, there are no excuses because they do not have to compose any prayer. Instead, they can simply pray according to the words in the Bible. For example, using John 1:1, someone can pray, “Lord, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He can use the verse as his prayer, or he can change the wording a little. The excuse of having no feeling to pray has also been solved because as soon as we pray with the words from the Bible, we are full of feeling. We can say, “Thank You, Lord. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was You.” Sometimes when we just read the Bible, we may not have any feeling, but when we pray using the Scriptures, we receive a supply in our spirit. When we pray according to the words in the Bible, there are words in our spirit that are full of feeling. Thus, it is easy to pray, saying, “Lord, You are the Word of God. You explain God to us, and You also speak to us from within all the time.” This kind of spontaneous speaking to the Lord is not difficult at all.

　　第五，带人祷告的点不要太多，只要一点就可以，至多二点，不要一个人包办所有的祷告。譬如，约翰一章一至四节有好些重点：太初有话是一点，话与神同在又是一点，话就是神又是一点；万物借着祂而成是一点；生命在祂里面是一点，这生命是照亮人的光又是一点。绝不要一个人就把这么多点都祷告了，最好只祷告一个点，最多二个点。你祷告一个点，让别人有机会再祷告。这样，你祷告一点，我祷告一点，他祷告一点，几个人就能点点都祷告了。若是你还有感觉，可以轮流回来再祷告。

　　末了，我们应该相信，当我们这样轮着祷告时，我们的灵里会随时有感觉；有的是直接的感觉，有的是听别人的祷告而有的感觉，有的感觉是互相影响而有的。这样祷告的结果，就把这一段圣经化开了，也几乎是讲透了。这个好处，就是使众人的灵都得着操练，里面也得着喂养。这个喂养就是在圣经的话里，所蕴含的基督自己。我们要把这几点向少年人说明，也要实际的带他们操练。

　　一九六一年七月二十一日讲于台北

　When we lead people to pray, we should teach them not to pray over too many points. Each person should pray one point. Occasionally, someone may pray concerning two points but no more than what is needed. No one should attempt to cover all the points in his prayer. For example, John 1:1-4 has several crucial points: “in the beginning was the Word,” “the Word was with God,” “the Word was God,” “all things came into being through Him,” “in Him was life,” and “the life was the light of men.” A person does not need to cover all these points in one prayer. It is best to pray over one point or, at most, two points. We should cover one point in our prayer and then let others have the opportunity to pray. When we all pray one point, all the points will be covered by all the saints. However, if someone still has some feeling, he can pray again.

　When we take turns to pray in this way, our spirit will have instant feeling. Some feelings may come directly, and other feelings may come from hearing the prayers of the other saints. Some feelings arise out of a sense of mutual inspiration. As a result of such prayers, a portion of the Bible will be thoroughly opened and imparted into the young people. Furthermore, all the young people will be exercised in their spirit and supplied with spiritual food. This kind of supply from the Bible contains Christ Himself. We must explain these matters to the young people and lead them into this practical exercise.