第51章 祷告会
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第51章 祷告会
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Chap. 51—The Prayer Meeting
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祷告聚会应成为所有聚会中最有兴趣的；但往往却主持的不得其法。许多人参赴讲道聚会，却忽略了祷告聚会。对于这事，仍是需要思考的。当求上帝赐下智慧，并拟定计划使祷告聚会成为有兴趣而且动人的。人们渴慕生命的粮。如果在祷告聚会中可以得着它，他们自会到那里去领受了。{CCh 292.1}[1]
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The prayer meetings should be the most interesting gatherings that are held, but these are frequently poorly managed. Many attend preaching, but neglect the prayer meeting. Here, again, thought is required. Wisdom should be sought of God, and plans should be laid to conduct the meetings so that they will be interesting and attractive. The people hunger for the bread of life. If they find it at the prayer meeting they will go there to receive it.{CCh 292.1}[1]
§5
冗长乏味的讲论和祈祷，无论何处均不相宜；尤其是在祷告与见证聚会中。那些冒失而常常抢先发言的人，往往使胆小退让的人没有作见证的机会。那些最肤浅的人，一般总是说话最多的。他们的祷告也是冗长而机械式的；足使天使和听见的人感到厌倦。我们的祷告应当简短而中肯。任何人若要作冗长而使人厌倦的祈求，尽可到密室里去作。应当让上帝的灵进入你们的心中，一切枯燥的形式就会一扫而空了。（4T 70, 71）?{CCh 292.2}[2]
§6
Long, prosy talks and prayers are out of place anywhere, and especially in the social meeting. Those who are forward and ever ready to speak are allowed to crowd out the testimony of the timid and retiring. Those who are most superficial generally have the most to say. Their prayers are long and mechanical. They weary the angels and the people who listen to them. Our prayers should be short and right to the point. Let the long, tiresome petitions be left for the closet, if any have such to offer. Let the Spirit of God into your hearts, and it will sweep away all dry formality.{CCh 292.2}[2]
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【公共祷告不要冗长】
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基督要给祂的门徒留下一个观念，那就是他们所做的祷告务须简短，只要陈述他们所需要的，不必多说。祂提到他们祈祷的长度及内容，说明他们心中所盼望的属灵与属世之福惠，以及感恩道谢的话。在祂的模范祷告文中，意义是多么的深远全面啊！它把一切的实际需要都概括在内了。任何普通的祷告只须一两分钟就足够了。但有时有些祷告是由上帝圣灵特别授意，本着灵感而祈求。那饥渴的心灵，思慕上帝，烦恼叹息在心中争斗，象雅各的经验一样，若不得着上帝能力的特别显现，就不安息。这就是上帝所希望有的。{CCh 292.3}[3]
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【Public Prayers Should Not Be Long】
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Christ impressed upon His disciples the idea that their prayers should be short, expressing just what they wanted, and no more. He gives the length and substance of their prayers, expressing their desires for temporal and spiritual blessings, and their gratitude for the same. How comprehensive this sample prayer! It covers the actual need of all. One or two minutes is long enough for any ordinary prayer. There may be instances where prayer is in a special manner indited by the Spirit of God, where supplication is made in the Spirit. The yearning soul becomes agonized and groans after God. The spirit wrestles as did Jacob and will not be at rest without special manifestations of the power of God. This is as God would have it.?{CCh 292.3}[3]
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许多人祷告的样式是枯燥的，说教式的。他们乃是向人祈求，而不是向上帝祷告。他们如果是向上帝祷告，并切实明白在做什么，他们就要惊异于自己的僭妄冒失了。因为他们是用祷告的形式向主讲道，好像是宇宙的创造主，在有关世上各种显露之事的一般问题上需要特别的指教。所有此类祷告，乃是鸣的锣，响的钹，在天上是不算数的。上帝的天使也对之厌烦了，正如世上的人被勉强去听这些祷告而感到疲倦一样。?{CCh 292.4}[4]
§12
But many offer prayer in a dry, sermonizing manner. These pray to men, not to God. If they were praying to God, and really understood what they were doing, they would be alarmed at their audacity; for they deliver a discourse to the Lord in the mode of prayer, as though the Creator of the universe needed special information upon general questions in relation to things transpiring in the world. All such prayers are as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. They are made no account of in heaven. Angels of God are wearied with them, as well as mortals?who are compelled to listen to them.?{CCh 292.4}[4]
§13
耶稣是常作祷告的。祂退到寂静的林间或山上，向天父倾诉心愿。当日常的操劳及业务终止，疲倦的人们寻求休息之时，耶稣却用这时间去祷告。我们决不是叫人少作祷告；因为现今的人太少警醒祈祷了，尤其是缺少那有灵感及出于悟性的祈祷。热切而有效的祈祷常是适宜的，并且也不会叫人厌倦。这种祷告能使一切爱慕献身的人感到兴趣并得以复兴。{CCh 293.1}[5]
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Jesus was often found in prayer. He resorted to the lonely groves or to the mountains to make His requests known to His Father. When the business and cares of the day were ended, and the weary were seeking rest, Jesus devoted the time to prayer. We would not discourage prayer, for there is far too little praying and watching thereunto. And there is still less praying with the Spirit and the understanding also. Fervent and effectual prayer is always in place, and will never weary. Such prayer interests and refreshes all who have a love for devotion.?{CCh 293.1}[5]
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由于人们忽略私祷，以致在聚集敬拜上帝之时，便有许多人献上冗长烦琐、消极退后的祷告。他们在祷告之中，把一周之内所忽略的本分都提了出来，而且反复祈求，希望补足自己的疏忽，以平静那折磨他们的有愧的良心。他们希望藉着祷告，得蒙上帝的恩眷，然而往往这样祷告的结果，反而使别人的心思也被连累降至他们灵性黑暗的低落水准。如果基督徒能接受基督的警醒祈祷的教训，他们在敬拜上帝时，就必更理智聪明了。（2T 581, 582）?{CCh 293.2}[6]
§16
Secret prayer is neglected, and this is why many offer such long, tedious, backslidden prayers when they assemble to worship God. They go over in their prayers a week of neglected duties, and pray round and round, hoping to make up for their neglect and pacify their condemned consciences, which are scourging them. They hope to pray themselves into the favor of God. But frequently these prayers result in bringing other minds down to their own low level in spiritual darkness. If Christians would take home the teachings of Christ in regard to watching and praying, they would become more intelligent in their worship of God.{CCh 293.2}[6]
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【祷告中要有更多的赞美】
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“凡有气息的，都要赞美耶和华。”我们各人曾否正式考虑过，我们有多少事是应当感激的呢？我们可记得主的恩典每早晨都是新的，祂的诚实必不断绝么？我们是否承认自己当倚靠祂，并表示感激祂一切的恩惠呢？反之，我们倒常常忘记“各样美善的恩赐，和各样全备的赏赐，都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的”（雅1:17）。?{CCh 293.3}[7]
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【More Praise in Prayer】
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“Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” Have any of us duly considered how much we have to be thankful for? Do we remember that the mercies of the Lord are new every morning and that His faithfulness faileth not? Do we acknowledge our dependence upon Him and express gratitude for all His favors? On the contrary, we too often forget that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.”?{CCh 293.3}[7]
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健康的人往往是如何地会忘记那日复一日，年复一年，所施与他们的奇妙恩典啊。他们并不赞美上帝，感激祂一切的恩泽。及至有了疾病，这才记起了上帝。切望恢复健康的心意引起了恳切祈祷，这本来是应当的。因为上帝原是我们在疾病时的避难所，正如在健康时一样。可是许多人没有把自己的事交给祂；他们为自己挂虑，以致助长了软弱和疾病。他们若停止怨尤，并超脱悲苦忧伤，他们的康复就更有把握了。他们应当存感激的心，记着自己已享受健康之福有多久；如果这次恢复了此宝贵的福乐，就决不可忘记自己与创造主重新立了约愿。当十个大麻风的人被医好时，只有一个回来见耶稣，将荣耀归与祂。但愿我们不要象那九个忘恩的人，他们的心未被上帝的恩典所感动。（5T 315）{CCh 293.4}[8]
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How often those who are in health forget the wonderful mercies that are continued to them day by day, year after year. They render no tribute of praise to God for all His benefits. But when sickness comes, God is remembered. The strong desire for recovery leads to earnest prayer, and this is right. God is our refuge in sickness as in health. But many do not leave their cases with Him; they encourage weakness and disease by worrying about themselves. If they would cease repining and rise above depression and gloom, their recovery would be more sure. They should remember with gratitude how long they enjoyed the blessing of health; and should this precious boon be restored to them, they should not forget that they are under renewed obligations to their Creator. When the ten lepers were healed, only one returned to find Jesus and give Him glory. Let us not be like the unthinking nine, whose hearts were untouched by the mercy of God.{CCh 293.4}[8]
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这种悬念未来苦难的习惯，乃是不聪明，而且不合基督教训的。因为那样行，我们就不会安享当时的福气，也不会善用眼前的机会了。主要我们履行今天的本分，忍受今天的磨炼。我们应当在今天留意自己不要在言行上犯罪。我们应当今天赞美及尊荣上帝。我们应当今天运用活泼的信心，战胜仇敌。我们必须今天寻求上帝，并决定若无祂同在就必不满足。我们应当警醒，工作和祷告，好像今天就是所赐给我们的最后一天。这样，我们的生活就要变成何等的热切！我们也要在一切的言行上，多么亲切跟从耶稣啊！?{CCh 293.5}[9]
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The habit of brooding over anticipated evils is unwise and unchristian. In thus doing we fail to enjoy the blessings and to improve the opportunities of the present. The Lord requires us to perform the duties of today and to endure its trials. We are today to watch that we offend not in word or deed. We must today praise and honor God. By the?exercise of living faith today we are to conquer the enemy. We must today seek God and be determined that we will not rest satisfied without His presence. We should watch and work and pray as though this were the last day that would be granted us. How intensely earnest, then, would be our life. How closely would we follow Jesus in all our words and deeds!?{CCh 293.5}[9]
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【上帝关心小事情】
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很少有人对于宝贵的祷告特权，有正确的赏识，或善加运用。我们应当到耶稣面前，告诉祂我们一切的需要。我们可以将一切琐细的挂念和烦恼，以及重大的困难，都带到祂那里。任何激动我们不安或使我们愁闷灰心的事，我们都当在祈祷中带到主前。何时我们觉得每一步都需要基督同在，撒但就少有机会逞其试探。他的处心积虑，就是要勾引我们离开最好的及最具同情心的朋友。我们应当除了耶稣之外，别无心腹之交。我们可以安然向祂作倾心置腹之谈。弟兄姐妹们哪，在你们聚集礼拜之时，要相信耶稣也在与你们同聚，并相信祂是乐意赐福与你们的。应当把目光从自身转离去仰望耶稣，谈论祂无比之爱。藉着仰望祂，你们必变成象祂的样式。你们祈祷的时候，应当简明中肯。切莫在你冗长的祷告中向主作一番讲道。应当祈求生命之粮，象饥饿的孩子向世上的父亲求饼一样。如果我们存着淳朴和信心来求上帝，祂就要赐我们一切必要的福分。?{CCh 294.1}[10]
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【God’s Interest in Little Things】
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There are few who rightly appreciate or improve the precious privilege of prayer. We should go to Jesus and tell Him all our needs. We may bring Him our little cares and perplexities as well as our greater troubles. Whatever arises to disturb or distress us, we should take it to the Lord in prayer. When we feel that we need the presence of Christ at every step, Satan will have little opportunity to intrude his temptations. It is his studied effort to keep us away from our best and most sympathizing friend. We should make no one our confidant but Jesus. We can safely commune with Him of all that is in our hearts. Brethren and sisters, when you assemble for social worship, believe that Jesus meets with you; believe that He is willing to bless you. Turn the eye away from self; look unto Jesus, talk of His matchless love. By beholding Him you will become changed into His likeness. When you pray, be brief, come right to the point. Do not preach the Lord a sermon in your long prayers. Ask for the bread of life as a hungry child asks bread of his earthly father. God will bestow upon us every needed blessing if we ask Him in simplicity and faith.?{CCh 294.1}[10]
§29
祷告乃是人心最圣洁的活动；应当是诚心，谦心，切心的──即是那重生之心在圣洁上帝之前所发出的愿望。何时献祷的人若觉得他是在神面前，他就会忘记自身。他必无意表扬人的才干，无心取悦人的耳朵，而乃是要得心灵所渴求的福气。（5T 200, 201）{CCh 294.2}[11]
§30
Prayer is the most holy exercise of the soul. It should be sincere, humble, earnest—the desires of a renewed heart breathed in the presence of a holy God. When the suppliant feels that he is in the divine presence, self will be forgotten. He will have no desire to display human talent; he will not seek to please the ear of men, but to obtain the blessing which the soul craves.{CCh 294.2}[11]
§31
无论是公众还是个人的崇拜，祷告时双膝跪在上帝面前，乃是我们的特权。我们的榜样耶稣曾“跪下祷告”（路22:41）。圣经记载祂的门徒也是“跪下祷告”（徒9:40）。保罗说：“我在父面前屈膝”（弗3:14）。以斯拉双膝跪下“在上帝面前承认以色列的罪”。但以理一日三次双膝跪在上帝面前，祷告感谢（但6:10）。（GW 178）{CCh 294.3}[12]
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Both in public and in private worship, it is our privilege to bow on our knees before the Lord when we offer our petitions to Him. Jesus, our example, “kneeled down, and prayed.”?Luke 22:41. Of His disciples it is recorded that they, too, “kneeled down, and prayed.”?Acts 9:40;?20:36;?21:5. Paul declared, “I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”?Ephesians 3:14. In confessing before God the sins of Israel, Ezra knelt.?Ezra 9:5. Daniel “kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God.”?Daniel 6:10.{CCh 294.3}[12]