July 14

"Bind¹ the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar." (Psalm 118:27.

IS not this altar inviting² thee? Shall we not ask to be bound to it, the we may never be able to start back from our attitude of consecration³? There are times when life is full of roseate light, and we choose the Cross; at other times, when the sky is grey, we shrink from it. It is well to be bound.

Wilt⁴ Thou bind us, most blessed Spirit, and enamor us with the Cross, and let us never leave it? Bind us with the scarlet⁵ cord of redemption, and the golden cord of love, and the silver cord of Advent-hope, so we will not go back from it, or wish for another lot than to be the humble⁶ partners with our Lord in His pain and sorrow!

The horns of the altar invite thee. Wilt thou come ? Wilt thou dwell ever in a spirit of resigned humility⁷, and give thyself wholly to the Lord?

--- Selected.

The story is told of a colored brother who, at a camp meeting, tried to give himself to God. Every night at the altar he consecrated⁸ himself; but every night before he left the meeting, the devil would come to him and convince him that he did not feel any different and therefore he was not consecrated.

Again and again he was beaten back by the adversary⁹. Finally, one evening he came to the meeting with an axe¹⁰ and a big stake. After consecrating¹¹ himself, he drove the stake into the ground just where he had knelt. As he was leaving the building, the devil came to him as usual and tried to make him believe that it was all a farce¹².

At once he went back to the stake and, pointing to it, said, "Look here, Mr. Devil, do you see the stake? Well, that's my witness that God has forever accepted me." Immediately the devil left him, and he had no further doubts on the subject.─The Still Small Voice.

Beloved, if you are tempted¹³ to doubt the finality of your consecration, drive a stake down somewhere and let it be your witness before God and even the devil that you have settled the question forever.

Are you groping for a blessing¹⁴,

Never getting there?

Listen to a word in season,

Get somewhere.

Are you struggling for salvation¹⁵,

By your anxious prayer?

Stop your struggling, simply trust, and-

Get somewhere.

Does the answer seem to linger,

To your earnest prayer?

Turn your praying into praise, and-

Get somewhere.

You will never know His fullness,

Till you boldly dare

To commit your all to Him, and-

Get somewhere.

─Songs of the Spirit.　

七月十四日

「用绳索把祭牲拴住，牵到坛角那里。（诗篇一一八:27）

　　读者阿，祭坛不是在呼召我们吗？我们不是要请求绳索把我们拴在祭坛上，使我们永远不把我们的奉献拿回来吗？我们常常在生活充满了玫瑰色光彩的时候，乐意选择十字架；在天色灰暗的时候，就退缩了。所以如果能用绳索把我们拴住的话，多么好呢！

　　圣灵阿，求你把我们拴住，拴在十字架上，让我们永远不会离开它。求你用救恩的红绳、爱的金绳、望的银绳、把我们拴住，叫不能逃回旧日的宽路去，也叫我们不去羡慕别的命运━只羡慕作主痛苦悲伤中卑贱的伴侣！

　　读者阿，坛角在呼召你了。你愿不愿意来呢？你愿不愿意永远居在顺从谦卑的灵中，把你自己完全奉献给主呢？──选

　　在一次野外聚会里，有一位弟兄，愿意把自己奉献给神。他每天晚上在祭坛旁边奉献自己；但是每天晚上在他离开聚会以前，魔鬼就来使他相信：他并没有感觉什么分别，一定是神没有接受他的奉献。

　　一次一次他这样被仇敌击退，最后一天晚上，他来赴会的时候，带了一把斧头和一根长大的木椿来。他把自己奉献了以后，就将木椿钉入他所跪的那块地上。当他走出会场的时候，魔鬼又来引诱他相信这一切都不过是一幕闹剧而已。

　　他立刻回到木椿那里，指着木椿说：「你看，魔鬼先生，你看见那根木椿吗？那就是我的证人━ 证明神已经永远接受了我。」魔鬼立即离开了他， 这位弟兄对于这个问题，以后再没有什么疑惑了。 ── 微小的声音

　　亲爱的，如果你也受了引诱疑惑你的奉献的话，你也可以在一个地方钉下一根木椿，让它在神前、魔鬼前，做一个证人说，你已经永远解决了这个问题。

1 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

2 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

3 consecration   

n.供献，奉献，献祭仪式

参考例句：

• "What we did had a consecration of its own. “我们的所作所为其本身是一种神圣的贡献。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
• If you do add Consecration or healing, your mana drop down lower. 如果你用了奉献或者治疗，你的蓝将会慢慢下降。 来自互联网

4 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

5 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

6 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

7 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

8 consecrated   

adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• The church was consecrated in 1853. 这座教堂于1853年祝圣。
• They consecrated a temple to their god. 他们把庙奉献给神。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

10 axe   

n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减

参考例句：

• Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。
• The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

11 consecrating   

v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的现在分词 )；奉献

参考例句：

• Participant of Consecrating Wat Ling Khob Amulet. WLK佛牌（光辉之佛）加持的参与者。 来自互联网

12 farce   

n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹

参考例句：

• They played a shameful role in this farce.他们在这场闹剧中扮演了可耻的角色。
• The audience roared at the farce.闹剧使观众哄堂大笑。

13 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

14 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

15 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。