七月十五日

在壇上必有常常燒著的火，不可熄滅。（利6：13）

我們要使私人禱告的壇上有常常燒著的火，這是敬神之人的生命。教會和家庭之壇上的火也是從這裏來的。因此我們要叫這壇上的火好好地燒著；私下的靈修是活潑的、有功效的靈命的真諦、證據和溫度計。你要在這裏獻上你的脂油。若是可能，要使你在密室中的靈修成爲常規，幷且要不受什麽攪擾，這樣的禱告很有功效。你沒有什麽事情禱告嗎?那末就爲教會，爲牧師，爲你自己的心、你的孩子、你的親友、你的鄰居、你的國家，幷爲神的真道傳遍全地的事禱告吧！

我們要在這一件重大的事上省察一下。我們個人的靈修是否不冷不熱呢？我們心中的火是不明不滅嗎？車輪沉重得不易往前行進嗎？如果是這樣，我們要知道這是敗壞的先兆。我們要痛哭流泪，追求賜恩和代求的聖靈吧！讓我們找一個特別的時間爲這一件非常的事禱告。因爲若再不從世俗的灰燼當中挑旺我們的火，家庭壇上的火也要熄滅了！幷且也减少了我對教會和社會的影響力。這一節也是指著心中的壇說的。這實在是一個金壇。神喜歡看到他民的心中向也發出熱烈的火焰來。

讓我們把我們的心給神，用火熱的心愛他幷尋求他的恩典，好叫這火不熄滅；因爲神若不使它燃燒，它是不會燃燒起來的；許多仇敵要想吹滅它，但那看不見的手却時時往裏傾倒聖油，使它的火焰高而又高，旺而又旺。願我們用聖經的話作爲我們心中的燃料，它們乃是活炭；願我們常聽道，但最要緊的是多多獨自與耶穌常在一起。

July 15

"The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out." -- Leviticus 6:13

Keep the altar of private prayer burning. This is the very life of all piety. The sanctuary and family altars borrow their fires here, there- fore let this burn well. Secret devotion is the very essence, evidence, and barometer, of vital and experimental religion.

Burn here the fat of your sacrifices. Let your closet seasons be, if possible, regular, frequent, and undisturbed. Effectual prayer availeth much. Have you nothing to pray for? Let us suggest the Church, the ministry, your own soul, your children, your relations, your neighbours, your country, and the cause of God and truth throughout the world. Let us examine ourselves on this important matter. Do we engage with lukewarmness in private devotion? Is the fire of devotion burning dimly in our hearts? Do the chariot wheels drag heavily? If so, let us be alarmed at this sign of decay. Let us go with weeping, and ask for the Spirit of grace and of supplications. Let us set apart special seasons for extraordinary prayer. For if this fire should be smothered beneath the ashes of a worldly conformity, it will dim the fire on the family altar, and lessen our influence both in the Church and in the world.

The text will also apply to the altar of the heart. This is a golden altar indeed. God loves to see the hearts of His people glowing towards Himself. Let us give to God our hearts, all blazing with love, and seek His grace, that the fire may never be quenched; for it will not burn if the Lord does not keep it burning. Many foes will attempt to extinguish it; but if the unseen hand behind the wall pour thereon the sacred oil, it will blaze higher and higher. Let us use texts of Scripture as fuel for our heart's fire, they are live coals; let us attend sermons, but above all, let us be much alone with Jesus.