(Matt 6:5-8) （太6：5-8）

Today, we are continuing our study of the book of Matthew今天我们继续分享《马太福音》. Last week, we looked at “giving”, 上周分享了“论施舍”, this week we are continuing the next topic这周继续下一个“主题- “prayer”祷告. I’ve met lots of Christians who were converted from other religions我遇到很多以前信其他宗教的基督徒, interestingly有趣的是, they all asked me the same question他们会问我相同的问题, “Why doesn’t God listen to my prayers now为什么神现在不听我的祷告了? When I just believed in Him我刚信主时, He answered me祂总是回应我, but now, He doesn’t listen to me现在却不听我祷告了.” I told them我就告诉他们, “Did you pray in this way你是不是这样祷告啊, ‘Lord, please help me to find a good job主啊, 请你让我找到一份好工作…Lord, I want this and that, please help me主啊我想要这要那,请帮助我…”They said, “yes” 他们就回答说“是”, I told them我告诉他们, “God loves you神爱你. He is not an image of an idol祂不是偶像, He is the creator of all祂是万有的创造者, He is the Holy God who wants to give you the best祂是圣洁的神，要把最好的给你! That is the life to the full就是得着丰盛的生命– the fullness of Christ基督的丰满和完全. And also还有, an intimate relationship with you就是与你有亲密的关系! If you change your prayer from merely asking for earthly things to trusting and honouring Him 如果你的祷告从只求地上的事物转向信靠神、荣耀神by seeking first His righteousness and His kingdom, all these things be will given to you. 就是信：先求他的国他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。”

Brothers and sisters, your thoughts is powerful弟兄姊妹，你所存的观念是有能力的, which directly determine what you are truly believing in your daily lives它直接可以决定你每天到底在信什么. If we say we believe Jesus我们如果说信主, but our thoughts all revolve around “I, me, mine,” 但我们所想的都是“我，我，我”， we deceive ourselves and will be captured by Satan with many lies and deceptions, and manipulations那就是自欺，就会被撒旦用谎言、欺骗、操纵掳去. I’ve heard a lot of these said by God’s people during these past 13 years在过去十三年的服事中，我听过很多神子民这样说, “If God doesn’t give me this job神要是不给我这个工作…this house不给我这个房子…I don’t think God’s name will be glorified神的名怎能得荣耀…if God doesn’t heal me supernaturally神要是没有用神迹医治我, I don’t think my family will believe in Him我家人怎么能信呢…” Who is God神是谁? I是我? or Jesus还是耶稣? The brother I told you who died with bowel cancer at 33 years old said this那位三十三岁死于肠癌的弟兄说. “If God doesn’t heal me in his supernatural way神要是没有用神迹医治我, my family will not believe in him我家人就不会信.” But on the contrary结果正好相反, after he had died他死后, his family received Jesus as their personal saviour in awe他的家人带着敬畏之心信主了, his brother testified他哥哥见证说, “God is love and Just神是慈爱公义的! He isn’t like our idols不像偶像! We should revere God我们该敬畏神!” God works in ways we don’t understand神怎么做我们不晓得! Trusting God is the only way for us to live in peace! 信靠神是唯一可以使我们活在平安里的路！If we begin with the wrong thoughts我们若以错误观念（想法）为起点, how can we end up at the right destination怎能到达正确的终点呢? It’s impossible那不可能! How important it is for us to have the right thoughts before God我们在神面前有正确的观念是何等的重要, which are based on Jesus’ centeredness and truth centredness就是以基督为中心、以真理为中心, so that Satan can do nothing to our minds撒旦就不能在我们心里做什么, and then we may be able to go on the right journey of sharing in His resurrected life and His victory这样才能得享在基督死里复活的生命和得胜的路上走下去.

Let’s look at today’s bible verses我们来读圣经：Matt 6: 5-8（太6：5-8）, “And when you pray你们祷告的时候, do not be like the hypocrites不可像那假冒为善的人, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men爱站在会堂里和十字路口上祷告，故意叫人看见. I tell you the truth我实在告诉你们, they have received their reward in full他们已经得了他们的赏赐. But when you pray你祷告的时候, go into your room要进你的内屋, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen关上门，祷告你在暗中的父. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret你父在暗中查看, will reward you必然报答你. And when you pray你们祷告, do not keep babbling like pagans不可像外邦人，用许多重复的话, for they think they will be heard because of their many words他们以为话多了必蒙垂听. Do not be like them你们不可效法他们, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him因为你们没有祈求以先，你们的父早已知道了。”

First of all首先, we can see that our Lord corrected the motives as to why we pray through this passage. 这段主耶稣纠正了我们祷告的动机, and then He went into details to teach us how to pray然后教导我们具体该怎样祷告! From the Lord’s prayer从主祷文, we will see the difference between our prayers and our Lord’s prayer我们将看到我们自己的祷告和主的祷告有何不同. Our Lord’s prayer is a God centred prayer我们主的祷告是以神为中心! A Kingdom centred prayer以国度为中心的祷告! That’s why the Father always answered Christ’s prayers所以天父总是回应他的祷告

1, What is prayer? Why should we pray? 祷告是什么？为什么要祷告？

Our Lord Jesus said主耶稣说, “when you pray你们祷告的时候…” He didn’t say祂不是说, “if you pray如果你们祷告.” It means that giving and prayers are necessary spiritual disciplines for us to taste God’s grace这意味着，施舍和祷告是我们品尝神恩典所必须的属灵操练. But prayer can be turned into self-glorifying and self-worshiping purposes because of the deceitful sinful nature但肉体是诡诈的，以致于祷告可变成以荣耀自己、拜自己为目的if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to examine us如果我们不让圣灵来鉴察的话. That’s why our Lord Jesus warned us here这就是主耶稣为什么在这里告诫我们, “for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men爱站在会堂里和十字路口上祷告，故意叫人看见.”  Can we pray publicly我们可不可以公开祷告? Of course当然可以! Because Jesus also prayed publicly主耶稣也多次公开地祷告! Even while hanging on the cross甚至在十字架上, he prayed publicly他公开祷告说, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do父啊, 赦免他们，因为他们所做的，他们不晓得.”

Obviously很明显, Jesus’ concern is not about whether we can pray publicly or not耶稣看重的不是我们能不能公开祷告, but the motives we have而是动机问题. Like giving和施舍一样, again our Lord Jesus warned us主耶稣再一次告诫, don’t do it “to be seen by men.” 不要为“故意叫人看见”而做。In other words换句话说, when we pray publicly我们公开祷告时, are we trying to impress people or to exalt ourselves我们是否想给人留下好印象或者抬高自己? Or to keep the focus on God and His will to be done还是专心于神和神旨意的成就? Our Lord warned us主耶稣警告说, that the temptation and the tendency exist even when we practice the spiritual discipline of prayer and seek spiritual growth in faith就连我们操练祷告和寻求信心增长时，这种试探和倾向都存在着. It can be deceived and become devalued before God by the subtle sin of vanity借着这一点点虚荣的罪，祷告就会被蒙蔽，成为在神面前无用的. for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men爱站在会堂里和十字路口上祷告，故意叫人看见. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full我实在告诉你们，他们已经得了他们的赏赐. V.5

How sad it would be实在是悲哀! If our prayers turn to self-worshiping or self-glorifying purposes我们的祷告若变成以荣耀自己、拜自己为目的, because we concern about if people will speak well of our prayers or not因我们在乎别人是否认为我们祷告得好不好,  so we deliberately speak elegant words to earn people’s compliments就故意叫人看见,或特意用华丽的辞藻来得人的称赞, sadly, we will receive our reward in full这样就已经得了全部赏赐了. So what is prayer那么祷告是什么? Some may say有人会说, “Prayer is simply talking to God祷告就是和神说话.” but that is dangerous那就危险了, because it can be self-talk这有可能变成自言自语. For Jesus gave us a parable主耶稣给我们一个比喻, two people stood there praying两个人站在那里祷告, the Pharisee was praying this to himself法利赛人向自己祷告这些话, “God神啊, I thank you 我感谢你that I am not like other people, robbers, unjust, adulterers or even like this tax collector我不像其他人那样：勒索、不义、通奸，也不像这个税吏. I fast twice a week我一周禁食两次; I pay tithes of all that I get并奉献我所有收入的十分之一.” This person must not have realized that he wasn’t talking to God but to himself这个人一定没有意识到自己是在跟自己说话，不是跟神说. In other words换句话说, simply talking to God can be self-deceptive把祷告当成仅仅和神说话有可能被自己欺骗, talking can be compliant说话可以变成抱怨, judgement论断, or babbling或者啰嗦重复的话. Like就像是, “Lord, today, I did this and that主啊, 今天, 我做了这做了那, I’m so tired我很累, nobody helps me没人帮我, nobody cares for me没人关心我, my family hurt me, I’ve already forgiven him家人也伤害我我都饶恕了他们…I’m so tired, I will talk to you tomorrow我实在太累了, 我明天再和你说话.”

Can people encounter God with this kind of talk to God这种谈话会让人遇见神吗? no不会, it is merely considered self-talk in God’s eyes在神眼里就只是自言自语. In your prayer你祷告的时候, you don’t have to inform God or tell God what to do不用告诉神要做什么, He is God who knows everything神是神，知道一切事. But since God knows everything那么，既然神知道一切事, why should we pray干嘛还要祷告呢? Prayer is a way of worship祷告是一种敬拜, Jesus tells us主耶稣说, God’s worshippers must worship Him in spirit and in truth主耶稣说 敬拜祂的人必须在灵里和真理中敬拜 (see John 4:24，见 约4:24).

By prayer借着祷告, we go into the presence of God to encounter His mercy and forgiveness我们来到神的同在中，为遇见祂的怜悯和赦免, His cleansing and correction为遇见祂的洁净和指正, His salvation and healing为遇见祂的拯救和医治, His provision and instruction为得到祂的供应和指示, to listen to God为听到神说话. we pray to develop our relationship with God我们祷告为与神建立关系, to seek fellowship and friendship with God为寻求与神的同工的关系! so that we may grow in Jesus为灵命得着成长, and to know more about His love and justice为更多认识神的慈爱和公义, His Holiness and righteousness更多认识神的圣洁和神的义! Also, to know more about ourselves还有一个目的, 为更多认识自己. So that we may have faith to forsake believing in ourselves but trusting in Him因此我们得着信心更多弃掉自己、信靠神!! But it only can be accepted when we are humble before God但这一切的得着，需要我们在神面前谦卑自己. 这就是主耶稣这样称许那个罪人, “But the tax collector stood at a distance那税吏远远站着. He would not even look up to heaven连举目望天也不敢, but beat his breast and said只捶着胸说, ‘God神啊, have mercy on me, a sinner开恩可怜我这个罪人.’ 4 “I tell you that this man我告诉你们, rather than the other, went home justified before God这人回家去比那人倒算为义了. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled因为，凡自高的，必降为卑, and those who humble themselves will be exalted自卑的，必升为高. Luke 18:13-14（路18:13-14）”

We can see from this prayer that God looks for a humble attitude in our prayers我们从这个祷告中知道，神寻找的是我们祷告时谦卑的态度, “he would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast他连举目望天也不敢，只捶着胸”, he humbled himself before God他在神面前谦卑自己, and trusted in God’s mercy and forgiveness信靠神的怜悯和赦罪的恩典, he didn’t say他没有说, “God, I will do better next time神啊,我下次会做好点.” No不是, He trusted in God’s mercy他信神的怜悯, He prayed without hypocrisy by confessing even before the Pharisee他的祷告没有假冒, 甚至当着法利赛人承认自己罪, and he paid no attention to how others would look at him if he confessed that he was a sinner before man并不在乎若自己承认自己的罪，身边的人会怎么看他. He focused on God他专注于神!

2, Prayer in secret is God’s will暗中祷告是神的旨意

Some people ask有些人问, “Will God answer my prayer神会回应我的祷告吗?” I’m pretty sure that God desires a relationship with you我非常肯定神很想和你建立关系, He who didn’t spare His own Son神既不爱惜自己的儿子, but gave him up for us all为我们众人舍了 - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things岂不也把万物和他一同白白地赐给我们吗? Roman 8: 32 ，罗8:32. Yes是, He will祂会的! The problem of unanswered prayer is that we lack understanding about God’s true nature祷告没有回应，问题在于我们对神的属性缺乏认识. We should pray according to God’s will我们应该照神的旨意来祷告. “If we ask anything according to his will我们若照祂的旨意求什么, he hears us祂就听我们 – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him祂听我们一切所求的，就知道我们所求于祂的，无不得着. 1 John 5:14-15，约一5:14-15”. It says that if we ask anything in God’s will这里说我们照神的旨意所求的一切, we will receive whatever we ask for无不得着. But people may ask但有人会问, “How do I know God’s will我怎样知道神的旨意呢?’ God’s general will lies in His bible神普遍的旨意写在圣经里! Here our Lord Jesus tell us that pray in secret is God’s will主耶稣在这里告诉我们在暗中祷告是神的旨意 “but when you pray你祷告的时候, go into your room要进你的内屋, close the door and pray to your Father关上门，祷告你在暗中的父, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you你父在暗中察看，必然报答你. v.6

God doesn’t want you to pray just by offering some words from your mouths as a ritual神不想你的祷告只是仪式性地说些话. He wants you to go into a private place where nobody is there他想你进到一个隐秘的地方，没有其他人, but you and God只有你和神, in a secret place在这个隐秘的地方, He longs for fellowship with you祂渴望和你相交to bless you with peace赐给你平安, love慈爱, hope盼望, forgiveness饶恕, cleansing 洁净and a changed life还有生命的更新! The ultimate goal for you to spend time with God is not to ask God to sort out problems你花时间和神在一起的终极目的，不是要神为你解决问题 (when your job, your children, your spouses get you annoyed当你的工作,孩子, 配偶惹恼了你) for you, but to transform you into His likeness而是要将你更新成为祂的样子! 2 Cor 3:17-18 （林后3:17-18）告诉我们花时间去祷告的结果, Now the Lord is the Spirit主就是那灵, and where the Spirit of the Lord is主的灵在哪里, there is freedom哪里就得以自由. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory我们众人既然敞着脸得以看见主的荣光, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory好像从镜子里返照，就变成主的形状，荣上加荣, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit如同从主的灵变成的.    

It gives us three stages of progressing toward that outcome if we really pray in truth and in the Holy Spirit我们若在圣灵和真理里祷告，会有三个渐进步骤: 1, To unveil ourselves toward God是我们向神敞开自己, 2, To Reflect God’s glory神的荣光会反射在我们身上3, To be transformed into His image变成主的形状. It is necessary for us to go into a secret place to pray去隐秘的地方祷告是必需的. Jesus Christ, the Son of God耶稣基督神的儿子, our ultimate example我们的唯一榜样, in Mark 1:35（可1:35）, “very early in the morning次日早晨, while it was still dark天未亮的时候, Jesus got up耶稣起来, left the house and went off to a solitary place到旷野地方去, where he prayed在那里祷告.”  We see many times in the four books of the gospel四福音里多次提到, Jesus went to a solitary place and prayed耶稣到旷野地方祷告.

3, Prayer in secret results in reward暗中祷告带来赏赐

God desires that His children go into a secret place to have fellowship with Him神希望自己的孩子到隐秘的地方祷告，与祂相交! This secret place is not just a place outside这隐秘之地不只是外在的地点, but also our secret place inside the heart还是我们心里的隐秘之地, where nobody sees only God那里只有神看见! And God doesn’t want us to speak meaningless words神不要我们说些无谓的话, like our Lord teaches in v.7如主在第7节所说, “and when you pray你们祷告, don’t keep on babbling like pagans不可像外邦人, for they think they will be heard because of their many words用许多重复的话，他们以为话多了必蒙垂听.”

God wants us to delight in His presence神愿意我们享受祂的同在! He wants to give us freedom not legalism! 他想要给我们自由，而不是律法主义的捆绑! where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom主的灵在哪里，哪里就得以自由, But how can you discern whether it is the Holy Spirit? 但怎样辨明是圣灵Or evil spirits还是邪灵? Because the bible teaches us因圣经还教导说,  for Santa himself masquerades as an angel of light 连撒旦也装作光明的天使。2 Cor 11:14，林后11:14. We have God’s word to discern我们有神的话可以辨明! 1 John 5:7 says（约一5:7）, And it is the Spirit who testifies并且有圣灵作见证, because the Spirit is the truth因为圣灵就是真理. So if we pray without abiding in God’s truth如果我们的祷告不是被真理引导, we can speak like we are babbling, and that’s meaningless before God我们就会在神面前说很多无意义的话. Because the only difference between us and pagans is that we have the word of God因我们和外邦人唯一不同的是我们有神的话, which is a lamp to our feet and a light for our paths神的话是我们脚前的灯、路上的光 (see Psa 119: 105，见诗篇119:105), while they don’t外邦人没有神的话. Thus因此, if you desire your prayer to be aligned with God’s will你若想你的祷告符合神的旨意, so that whatever you ask, it will be given you让你的祷告所求的无不得着, you must pay the price to give away the secret place就必须付代价把隐秘之处让给神的话、神的旨意来住– the room of your deep heart for God’s word and His will就是你心底的内室, no longer “my wishes, my desires, my…”不再是 “我想,我要,我…”For Jesus promises因主耶稣的应许是, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you你们若常在我里面，我的话也常在你们里面, ask whatever you wish凡你们所愿意的，祈求, and it will be given you就给你们成就.”

It shows that if we say we remain in our Lord Jesus这表明，我们若说我们在主里面, but our thoughts abide not in the words of God但我们的心思没有被神的话管理, only in our own thoughts只是我们自己的想法里, “I’m angry because he did this我很生气，因为他做了这事…I was drunk, because he gave me drink我喝醉了，因为他要我喝酒…” Will God acknowledge that these kinds of acts are truly abiding in Him神会承认这些是住在祂里面的行为吗? Of course not当然不会! The bible tells us当然不会,  “whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did人若说他住在主里面，就该自己照主所行的去行. 1 John 2:6（约一2:6）” So can you see看到了吗? that a true praying heart leads to a life of humility and fear of God一个真正祷告的心带出的是谦卑和敬畏神的生命. We see this from Christ我们从基督的身上看到, the bible prophesies the coming Messiah like this经上说要来的弥赛亚是, “he will delight in the fear of the Lord他必以敬畏耶和华为乐. Isa 11:3，赛11:3” “What does the bible mean about “fear of God” “敬畏耶和华”是什么意思? God’s word tells us神的话说, The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death敬畏耶和华，就是生命的泉源，可以使人离开死亡的网罗. Proverbs 14:27，箴言14:27.

What can turn a man from the snares of death什么使人离开死亡的网罗? The fear of the Lord敬畏神! But what does it mean by the fear of the Lord什么是敬畏神?” "To fear of the Lord is to hate evil敬畏耶和华，在乎恨恶邪恶, I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech那骄傲、狂妄并恶道，以及乖谬的口，都为我所恨恶. Pro 8:12，箴言8:12”  What dwells in our natural secret place我们天然人的隐秘之处住着什么? Why can we easily be hurt by people’s words and actions为什么我们很容易被人的言语和行为伤害到? Why could’t people hurt Jesus Christ when they despised him为什么耶稣基督被藐视, rejected him被厌弃, betrayed and killed him被出卖被杀害，人却不能伤害到祂? Because Christ is sinless因基督是无罪的. We all have pride that dwells in our secret places我们所有人里面都住着骄傲, it can produce anger它制造出怒气, bitterness苦毒, criticism挑剔, manipulation操纵, lust情欲淫乱, selfishness and rebellion自私和悖逆…which can cause us not to listen to God but to the self when temptation comes这些可以让我们受试探时不听神的，而是听自己的. That’s why we need to be tested and purged by God’s grace这就是为什么我们需要借着神的恩典被试验被洁净, so that we may inherit His kingdom因此才可以去承受神的国.

Even in the OT就算在旧约, we see that God is the unchangeable God我们看见神是不改变的神, who desires to purge His chosen people’s secret places祂盼望洁净祂选民的内心的隐秘之处to listen to Him humbly以至于他们可以谦卑听从祂的声音, so that they may inherit His kingdom因此可以承受神的国. We can see this principle from king Saul and King David我们从扫罗王和大卫王身上可以认识神的法则.  1 Samuel 10:6（撒上10:6）, we see the prophet Samuel told King Saul先知撒母耳对扫罗王说,  “The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you耶和华的灵必大大感动你, and you will prophesy with them你就与他们一同受感说话; and you will be changed into a different person你要变为新人. Then, as Saul turned to leave Samuel然后, 当扫罗离别撒母耳, God changed Saul’s heart神就赐给他一个新心, and all these things were fulfilled that day这些兆头在那一日都成就了. The Holy Spirit came upon him in power那一日圣灵的能力降在他身上(see v.9-10见9-10节). Just like us就象我们, when the Holy Spirit comes on us当圣灵的能力降在我们什么, what happens会发生什么事? Tests and temptations试验和试探! Even the Son of God, full of the Holy Spirit就连神儿子,被圣灵充满, was led into the desert to be tempted by the devil被引到旷野受魔鬼试探(see Luke 4:1-2，见路加福音4：1-2). 然后, 当扫罗离别撒母耳,神就赐给他一个新心这些兆头在那一日都成就了.那一日圣灵的能力降在他身上 (see v.9-10，见9-10节). 就象我们, 当圣灵的能力降在我们什么,会发生什么事? 试验和试探! 就连神儿子,被圣灵充满, 被引到旷野受魔鬼试探 (see Luke 4:1-2，见路加福音4：1-2).It also happened to King Saul扫罗王也是! As human beings作为人, what do we want after the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us圣灵的能力降到你身上后，你会想要什么发生? We want to see great things我们想看到大事, like signs and wonders being performed就象行神迹奇事, but for God但是神, He wants to refine us to listen to Him祂的心意是炼尽祂的子民可以听从祂的话, and no longer listen to the fallen nature而不是听从堕落的天性, so that God may fully dwell in us and manifest all His goodness through us让神可以完全地住在那人里面，借人彰显祂自己, to fulfil His creative purpose成就祂的造物之工.

Going back to the story回到上面的故事, two years later after Saul had been anointed as king of Israel扫罗被膏立为王，过了两年, the testing of his faith came信心试炼来了, the Philistines assembled to fight Israel非利士人聚集与以色列争战, Saul waited for Samuel for seven days扫罗等撒母耳等了七天, and didn’t see Samuel还不见撒母耳来到, so he offered burnt offerings himself他就自己献了燔祭, which he wasn’t allowed to do because in the OT only priests were allowed to make offerings to God这在旧约时代是神不允许的，只有祭司才可以向神献祭. Just after he finished making the offering刚献完祭, Samuel arrived撒母耳就到了, “what have you done你做的是什么事呢?” Samuel asked撒母耳问. In other words换言之, “who are you listening to你听从了谁?” Saul didn’t humble himself to confess his sins扫罗没有谦卑自己承认自己的罪, rather, he gave lots of reasons to justify his wrong action相反,他说了许多理由来证明自己有理“because因为…so that I did that所以我才….” and also blamed his people for scattering and Samuel for being late并且责怪百姓和撒母耳迟到. Saul’s reply is a typical example扫罗的回答很典型which reveals how human’s minds can still think in the old way after receiving the power of the Spirit这揭示了人在接受圣灵的能力后思想仍可以照旧路走, and cause people walk away from God会导致人离开神. May God give us wisdom to understand it and know how to avoid thinking and acting that way愿神赐我们智慧悟性，明白怎样脱离旧人的思想行为! Let’s see what Saul replied我们来看他的回答:

 “11 “What have you done你作的是什么事?” asked Samuel撒母耳说. Saul replied扫罗说, “When I saw that the men were scattering因为我见百姓离开我散去, and that you did not come at the set time你也不照所定的日期来到, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash而且非利士人聚集在密抹, 12 I thought所以我心里说, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal非利士人下到吉甲攻击我, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor恐怕我没有祷告耶和华.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering我就勉强献上燔祭.”

Comparing the verb with the original sin对比原罪发生时的动作:

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food 女人见那树上的果子好作食物and pleasing to the eye也悦人眼目, and also desirable for gaining wisdom且是可喜爱的，能使人有智慧, she took some and ate it就摘下果子来吃了.

The process the original sin generates原罪产生过程: 

“Saw看见” ---- “thought想” ---- “felt觉得” ---- “just do it就去做”

When Eve saw the fruit was good夏娃见那果子很好, she thought that would increase wisdom想到它能使人有智慧, she felt so good觉得很不错, which resulted in (taking it) just doing it without obeying God’s commands结果就拿了，（就去做）没有遵行神的命令.

King Saul’s way that caused him to sin against God扫罗王得罪神的道路:

When Saul saw the men were scattering扫罗看见百姓离开他散去, and that Samuel didn’t come at the set time撒母耳不照所定的日期来到…Saul thought that the philistines would go down against him觉得非利士人会下来攻击他...I felt he should sought the Lord’s favour他觉得自己应该寻求神, then he offer the burnt offering于是就献了祭(just do it) without obeying God’s commands（就去做）没有遵行神的命令.

Let's see Jesus way主耶稣的道路:

He will delight in the fear of the Lord他必以敬畏耶和华为乐. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes行审判不凭眼见, or decide by what he hears with his ears断是非不凭耳闻 (Isa 11:3，赛11:3). It means that Jesus will not just do it according to his ears and eyes是说，主耶稣不会看见听到就去做, but wait for the Father’s instruction and do His will and His commands而是会等候父的指示，遵行父的旨意和命令.

That’s the only way for every follower of Christ that we should follow这才是基督的门徒要转向的唯一道路! I can testify that not even one sin can be excluded from that principle我可以见证，没有一个罪能逃过这个法则! Anger怒气? Unforgiveness不饶恕? Adultery淫乱? Hatred仇恨? Envy嫉妒? The process of any sin can be caused this way所有罪都是这样产生的, that’s the old way这是肉体的老路! But Christ Jesus’ way is to trust and fear God但耶稣基督的道路是信靠和敬畏神, deny himself舍己（否定自己）, wait for God and obey God’s commands等候神，遵行神命令. Only by taking this way只有走这条路, can we overcome the old way of the fall and sin才能胜过跌倒犯罪的老路! For the King of this way is no longer us but God因这条路的王不再是我们自己，而是耶稣! If we confess that our old way is wrong我们若承认自己的老路是错的, but we don’t actually know what the old way is or even don’t acknowledge the old way却不真知道老路是什么甚至也认不出老路, how can we overcome the old way怎样胜过老路呢? But we thank God for His grace and mercy to reveal his truth to us但我们感谢神的恩典和怜悯，和开启真理, so that we may go on His way使我们可以走祂的道路!

King David also committed great sins大卫王也犯过大罪, he committed adultery with Bathsheba与拔示巴通奸, and also而且, he murdered Bathsheba’s husband又杀了拔示巴的丈夫, but after David had been rebuked by the prophet Nathan但先知拿单去责备他后, not only did he confess and repent with his mouth他不仅口里认罪悔改, but also, he turned from his own way of更是,” 他转离自己的老路 从“seeing something看见--- thinking思想and desiring to get it想得----then, doing it就去做without obeying God’s commands不遵行神的命令” to obeying God’s commands转向遵行神的命令. The bible tells us经上说, when David was old大卫年纪老迈, they brought a very beautiful girl to king David臣仆为他寻得一个非常美貌的童女, but he even didn’t touch her王却没有亲近她. David’s genuine prayers gave him the strengthen and the power大卫的真实祷告带给他力量to turn from his old way to obeying God’s commands even though he lived in the OT就算生活在旧约时代，仍然可以转离老路转向遵行神的命令. It gives us much encouragement这也给我们极大的鼓励, that we also can overcome our sinful natures through our prayer in truth and in the Spirit就是借着真理和圣灵里的祷告可以胜过我们属罪的本性, because God is within us因神在我们里面! If we don’t pray in a hypocritical way只要不做假冒为善的祷告!

1 Samuel 13:13-14（撒上13:13-14） “You have done a foolish thing你作了糊涂事了,” Samuel said撒母耳对扫罗说. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you没有遵行耶和华你神所吩咐你的命令; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time若遵守，耶和华必在以色列中坚立你的王位，直到永远. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure现在你的王位必不长久; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart 耶和华已经寻着一个合祂心意的人and appointed him ruler of his people立他作百姓的君, because you have not kept the Lord’s command因为你没有遵守耶和华所吩咐你的.”

We see here that Samuel called Saul’s action “a foolish thing” 撒母耳说扫罗所作的是 糊涂事 一件傻事, what does the foolish thing look like到底 这糊涂事是什么样的事呢? Saul chose to listen to his own heart rather than obeying the Lord’s command扫罗选择听从自己心里的声音，而不是遵行主的命令, he was convicted by the Holy Spirit several times他被圣灵光照过几次, and confessed that he had sinned也承认他得罪神, but he didn’t really turn from his own way to the way of obeying God’s commands但他没有真正转离自己的道路，转向遵行神的旨意. Also he aruged他还争辩说, “I’ve carried out the Lord’s instruction我完成了主的指示.” “I did obey the Lord耶和华的命令我已经遵守了, 1Samuel 15:13b, 15:20，见撒上15:13下，15:20”, So this foolish thing leads him to lose a reign that would last as the king of Israel这糊涂事让他丢了以色列的王位.

Have you thought about what this means to you as a Christian living in the NT你想过没有，这对你这个新约里的基督徒来说，意味着什么? Is there any link有什么关联吗? Yes, there is是的,有关联! Jesus is the King of the kingdom耶稣是国度的君王, who has dwelt in us已住在我们里面, the Holy Spirit is in us圣灵在我们里面, the word of God has been given to us神的话赐给了我们, we already have had the King’s authority in us国度的的权柄也在我们里面 (see Luke 10:19见路加福音10:19), what else does God want to give us神还想赐给我们什么? Revelation 21:7（启21:7）He who overcomes shall inherit all things得胜的，必承受这些为业, and I will be his God and he shall be My son我要作他的神，他要作我的儿子.

That’s the biggest blessing and reward in the universe that God wants us to have by faith这才是神要赐给我们宇宙中赐我们的最大的祝福和奖赏! To overcome the self就是靠恩典胜过自己, the world胜过世界, and the devil by His grace胜过魔鬼, so that we may inherit all things to be like kings就能象王一样承受这些为业.  Who is the king谁是王? Christ Jesus耶稣基督! Who has been exalted祂被高举! God wants us to seek His own heart by praying earnestly in our secret places神盼望我们在隐秘之处殷勤祷告，寻求祂心意, so that we may allow Christ the King to lead us to do God’s will因此可以使基督在里面引导我们行神的旨意, no longer our own wills or our own ways不再是自己的意思、自己的道路, but God’s will be done而是成就神的旨意! Close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen关上门,祷告暗中的父. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you你父在暗中察看，必然报答你.