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經文：「只剩雅各一人。有一個人來和他摔跤，直到黎明。」（創32:24） 上文中我們看見神來和雅各摔跤。直到天亮以前，雅各的大腿窩扭了。但是當他倒下時正好倒在神的膀臂中，雅各就緊抓不放，直到得著所要的祝福；從此一個新生命由此而生。他倒下的時候，還是個屬地的、屬人的、天然的生命，他起來的時候，已成為屬天的、屬神的、超然的生命。雖然自那天早晨起，他成為一位疲弱殘廢的人，神卻宣告說：「你的名字不要叫雅各，要叫以色列；因為你與神與人較力都得了勝」。 各位讀者，如果神要我們進入更高的境界，也必須經歷同樣的爭戰；面對自我的籌畫都會失敗，遭遇的盡是意想不到的拆毀。而那時我們必須從神領受超然的能力才能站住；但是在領受能力之前，我們需要先付完全順服的代價；需要停止我們自己的智慧、能力和公義，並與基督同釘十字架，再從祂裡面復活。神知道怎樣引導我們到達這一步，也知道用甚麼方法帶領我們經過。 親愛的讀者，神現在是不是正在這樣帶領你？你是不是正在遭受極嚴重的試煉、極困難的環境、極險惡的情勢？你是不是沒有神就不能度過？你是不是沒有力量可靠著得勝？ 來投靠雅各的神吧，讓自己軟弱地倒在祂的腳前！在祂慈愛的雙臂中放棄自己的能力和智慧，再像雅各一般帶著神的能力和充滿站起來。如果你想走出自己困難狹窄的處境，記得，出路是在上方，你必須向上走才能得到釋放。是的，誠心所願你也能得到雅各所得到的一切！--選 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (Gen. 32:24). God is wrestling with Jacob more than Jacob is wrestling with God. It was the Son of man, the Angel of the Covenant. It was God in human form pressing down and pressing out the old Jacob life; and ere the morning broke, God had prevailed and Jacob fell with his thigh dislocated. But as he fell, he fell into the arms of God, and there he clung and wrestled, too, until the blessing came; and the new life was born and he arose from the earthly to the heavenly, the human to the divine, the natural to the supernatural. And as he went forth that morning he was a weak and broken man, but God was there instead; and the heavenly voice proclaimed, "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Beloved, this must ever be a typical scene in every transformed life. There comes a crisis-hour to each of us, if God has called us to the highest and best, when all resources fail; when we face either ruin or something higher than we ever dreamed; when we must have infinite help from God and yet, ere we can have it, we must let something go; we must surrender completely; we must cease from our own wisdom, strength, and righteousness, and become crucified with Christ and alive in Him. God knows how to lead us up to this crisis, and He knows how to lead us through. Is He leading you thus? Is this the meaning of your deep trial, or your difficult surroundings, or that impossible situation. or that trying place through which you cannot go without Him, and yet you have not enough of Him to give you the victory? Oh, turn to Jacob's God! Cast yourself helplessly at His feet. Die to your strength and wisdom in His loving arms and rise, like Jacob, into His strength and all-sufficiency. There is no way out of your hard and narrow place but at the top. You must get deliverance by rising higher and coming into a new experience with God. Oh, may it bring you into all that is meant by the revelation of the Mighty One of Jacob!--But God ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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