January 4
Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. — 1 Corinthians 10:31
Scripture reading: Proverbs 15:28–16:9
On a ship one day, some people said to me, “We are going to have a program. Would you be a participant in the entertainment?”
I replied, “Come in a quarter of an hour, and I will tell you.”
They came round again and said, “Are you ready?”
“Yes,” I told them, “I have got a clear witness that I have to be in the entertainment.”
So they said to me, “What can you do?”
“I can sing,” I offered.
They said, “Where would you like to be scheduled in the entertainment? We are going to have a dance.”
I said, “Put me down just before the dance.”
I went to the entertainment, and when I saw the clergymen trying to please the people, it turned me to prayer. My turn came, and I went up to the piano with my “Redemption Songs.” When the lady saw the music, she said, “I cannot play this kind of music.”
I said, “Be at peace, young lady. I have music and words inside.” So I sang:
If I could only tell Him as I know Him.
My Redeemer who has brightened all my way;
If I could tell how precious is His presence,
I am sure that you would make Him yours today.
Could I tell it, Could I tell it,
How the sunshine of His presence lights my way.
I would tell it, I would tell it,
And I‘m sure that you would make Him yours today.
I sang the song, and when I finished, the people said, “You have spoiled the dance.” Well, I was there for that purpose, to spoil the dance. From the least to the greatest, they were weeping. They never had a dance, but they had a prayer meeting. Six young men were saved by the power of God in my cabin.
A preacher came to me afterwards and said, “How dare you sing that?” “Why,” I said, “how dare I not sing it?” It was my opportunity. He was going to India, and when he got there, he wrote in his periodical and mailed it to England. He said, “I did not seem to have any chance to preach the Gospel, but there was a plumber on board who seemed to have plenty of opportunities to preach to everybody. He said things that continue to stick with me. He told me that the book of Acts was written only because the apostles acted.”
You see, I was in the drama of acting in the name of Jesus. And so that opened the door and provided me a place that I could speak all the time. The door was open in every way. Glory to God!
Thought for today: You are in the right position when you allow the glory of the new life to cause you to act. Live in the Acts of the Apostles, and every day you will see some miracle worked by the power of the living God.
行动的机会
1月4日
无论做什么，都要为上帝的荣耀而做。——哥林多前书 10:31
经文阅读：箴言 15:28–16:9
有一天在船上，有些人对我说：“我们要举办一个节目。你愿意参加娱乐活动吗？”
我回答道：“过一刻钟再来，我会告诉你。”
他们又过来了，说：“你准备好了吗？”
“是的，”我告诉他们，“我有一个明确的证据表明我必须参与娱乐。”
所以他们对我说：“你能做什么？”
“我会唱歌，”我说。
他们说：“你想在娱乐节目中安排在哪个环节？我们将举办一场舞会。”
我说，‘就在舞会前放我下去。’
我去参加娱乐活动，当我看到神职人员试图取悦人们时，我转向了祈祷。轮到我时，我带着我的《救赎之歌》走上了钢琴。当那位女士看到这本乐谱时，她说：“我不会弹这种音乐。”
我说，”安心吧，小姐。我内心有音乐和文字。”于是我唱了：
如果我能够按照我所认识的去告诉他。
我的救赎主，他照亮了我所有的道路；
如果我能够讲述他的同在是多么珍贵，
我相信你今天就会把他归为己有。
我能说吗，我能说吗，
他同在的阳光如何照亮我的道路。
我会说，我会说，
我相信你今天就会把他归为己有。
我唱了这首歌，当我唱完时，人们说：“你破坏了舞蹈。”好吧，我来的目的就是为了破坏舞蹈。从最小到最大的，他们都在哭泣。他们从未有过舞会，但他们举行了祈祷会。六个年轻人在我的小屋里被神的力量拯救了。
有一次，一个传教士后来来到我面前，说：“你怎么敢唱那首歌？”我说：“为什么，我怎么敢不唱呢？”这是我的机会。他要去印度，当他到那里时，他在他的期刊中写道，并寄往英国。他说：“我似乎没有机会传讲福音，但船上有一个水管工似乎有很多机会向每个人传讲福音。他说的话一直让我记住。他告诉我，《使徒行传》之所以被写成，只是因为使徒们采取了行动。”
你看，我是在以耶稣的名义表演戏剧。所以那为我打开了门，并为我提供了一个可以随时说话的地方。门在各方面都打开了。荣耀归于上帝！
今日思考：当你让新生命的荣耀促使你行动时，你就是处在正确的位置。活在《使徒行传》中，每天你都会看到活神的力量行一些奇迹。
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