第五週 • 週一

w05d01-ch 

晨興餧養

約七18　  那從自己說的，是尋求自己的榮耀；惟有那尋求差祂來者之榮耀的，這人纔是真的…。

林前十31  所以你們或喫、或喝、或作甚麼事，一切都要為榮耀神而行。

啟二二1  天使又指給我看在城內街道當中一道生命水的河，明亮如水晶，從神和羔羊的寶座流出來。

一位早期的教父亞他那修（Athanasius）論到基督說，『祂成為人，使我們得以成為神。』又說，『話成了肉體，…使我們有分於祂的靈，而得以成為神。』這是神在地上行動的原則。神的行動是在人裏面，並藉着人。神的行動是要使人在生命和性情上成為神，卻無分於神格（約伯記生命讀經，一五二頁）。

以西結四十七章一節上半說，『祂帶我回到殿門，見水從殿的門檻下流出，往東流去。』要使水流出，必須有門檻，就是出口，讓水能流過。這指明我們若藉着基督，多與神接觸並親近祂，我們就有一個出口，讓神的活水從召會中流出來（以西結書生命讀經，三七二至三七三頁）。

信息選讀

河從殿中往東流（結四七1中）。東方是向着主的榮耀（民二3，結四三2）。往東流，指明神的河一直是往神榮耀的方向流。河只管神的榮耀。

召會生活中的每一件事，都當為着神的榮耀。譬如，我們傳福音時，該尋求神的榮耀。我們傳福音若是為着神的榮耀，就必定有活水流出來。然而，我們若不顧神的榮耀，水流就要受到限制。在召會中的每一個人，都該尋求並顧到神的榮耀。這樣，活水就會從召會流出來。

以西結四十七章一節下半也告訴我們，水由殿的右邊（南邊，直譯，右邊）流出。根據聖經，右邊表徵最高的地位。水從右邊流出，指明主的水流該居首位。我們該讓主居首位，也需要讓主的水流居首位。這樣，水流就有果效，並在我們的生活和工作中，成為管治的因素。

這水流是在祭壇的旁邊（結四七1末）。這指明水流總是經過十字架的運行。我們若不受十字架的對付，水流就會受攔阻。我們若要有水流，就必須受十字架的對付。我們必須樂意經過十字架，使水能流出來（以西結書生命讀經，三七三至三七四頁）。

殿的入口朝東，朝日出之地，意思是朝着榮耀（民二3，結四三2）。水的湧流是朝着榮耀。與湧流有關的一切，必須是為着神的榮耀。

生命的流必須居首位，佔第一。這告訴我們，我們絕不該忘記、忽畧、失去活水的流，生命的流。…我們若在水流中，無論我們在甚麼情況裏，一切就都好。只要我們在水流中，我們就與主是一。我們必須充分留意水流，付代價使自己進入水流裏。這水流必須在右邊，必須佔第一，必須居首位。

這湧流也在祭壇的南邊。為着活水的流，一切必須放在祭壇上。我們的確需要完全的奉獻，以享受生命的流。我們需要將所有的一切和所是的一切，奉獻給主（李常受文集一九六九年第二冊，五六六至五六七頁）。

參讀：以西結書生命讀經，第二十六篇。

WEEK 5—DAY 1

Morning Nourishment

John 7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him, this One is true…

1 Cor. 10:31 Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Rev. 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street.

Athanasius, one of the early church fathers, said concerning Christ, “He was made man that we might be made God,” and “The Word was made flesh…that we, partaking of His Spirit, might be deified.” This is the principle of God’s move on earth. God’s move is in man and through man. God’s move is to deify man, making man God in life and in nature but not, of course, in the Godhead. (Lifestudy of Job, p. 129)

Ezekiel 47:1a says, “Then He brought me back to the entrance of the house, and there was water flowing out from under the threshold of the house to the east.” In order for the water to flow forth, there must be a threshold, an opening, through which it can flow. This indicates that if we, through Christ, have more contact with God and draw closer to Him, there will be an opening which will allow the living water of God to flow out from the church. (Life-study of Ezekiel, pp. 303-304)

Today’s Reading

The river issues forth from the house and flows toward the east (Ezek. 47:1b). The east is the direction of the glory of the Lord (Num. 2:3; Ezek. 43:2). The flowing toward the east indicates that the river of God will always flow in the direction of God’s glory. The river cares for God’s glory.

Everything in the church life should be for God’s glory. For example, in our preaching of the gospel, we should seek the glory of God. If our gospel preaching is for God’s glory, there will be an outflow of living water. However, if we do not care for the glory of God, the flow will be limited. Everyone in the church should seek and care for the glory of God. Then the living water will flow out from the church.

Ezekiel 47:1c also tells us that the water flows out from the right, south, side of the house. According to the Bible the right side signifies the highest position.

The flowing of the water from the right side indicates that the flow of the Lord should have the preeminence. We need to give the Lord the highest position, and we also need to give the flow of the Lord the highest position. Then the flow will be prevailing and become the controlling factor in our living and work.

The flowing is by the side of the altar (v. 1d). This indicates that the flow is always by the cross. If we do not have the dealing of the cross, the flow will be frustrated. If we would have the flow, we must have the dealing of the cross. We need to be willing to pass through the cross so that the flow may come forth. (Life-study of Ezekiel, p. 304)

The entrance of the temple is toward the east, toward the rising of the sun, which means that it is toward the glory (Num. 2:3; Ezek. 43:2). The flowing of the water is
toward the glory. Everything concerning the flowing must be for God’s glory.

The flow of life must have…the first place. This tells us that we should never forget, neglect, or miss the flow of living water, the flow of life…If we are in the flow, everything is all right regardless of the situation that we are in. As long as we are in the flow, we are one with the Lord. We have to pay our full attention to the flow and pay the price to get ourselves into the flow. This flow must be on the right side; it must be in the first place; it must have the preeminence.

The flowing is at the south side of the altar. Everything mut be put on the altar for the flow of the living water. We do need a full consecration to enjoy the flow of life. We need to consecrate all that we have and all that we are to the Lord. (CWWL, 1969, vol. 2, “The Crucial Revelation of Life in the Scriptures,” pp. 427-428)

Further Reading: Life-study of Ezekiel, msg. 26