On Prayer
論禱告
論禱告
文: 陳瑩
個人在神前的禱告很少有假，但團體裏的禱告很少有真。可以說有一半以上是假的，乃因他們只在乎動聽不動聽，而不在乎神聽不聽。真的禱告是從心裏出來的東西。禱告不是講道，不是在神前說許多話，好像神不知道，要你在那裏仔細通知祂，在那裏給祂情報，給祂講道似的。禱告乃是我們自己有需要，有軟弱，要得着屬靈的供應與能力，若心裏沒有這個需要，所有的禱告就變作虛假。
禱告不但要真，也要短。聖經裏的禱告差不多都是短的。馬太六章的主禱文相當短。約翰十六章主在離世前的禱告很長，但是比起今天神的兒女的禱告就短多了。使徒行傳四章全教會的禱告也很短，以弗所一章的禱告是最緊要的，也很短。許多禱告之所以變作虛假，就是因為他們要長，兩句是真的，其餘都是添上去的。所以不要用你的禱告來苦待神的兒女。有些人總喜歡作很長的禱告，他一禱告，就叫許多人都累了。禱告得長實是教會最大的虧損。
另外有許多人作基督徒多年了，但仍不知道如何聚會，天不管，地不管，主也不管，聖靈也不管，只管他自己一個。一上台作見證或短講就下不了台，滔滔不絕的非得自己講個痛快，不然晚上睡不着似的。可是那個「見証」或是那個「道」，除了他自己覺得痛快之外，誰也得不着造就。他自己不講覺得有重擔，但弟兄姊妹卻把他的重擔背回家了。
On Prayer
By: Dorine Chan
Personal prayer in front of God is seldom fake, but prayer among groups is rarely real, of which more than half can be judged as false. It is because people only care about whether the prayer sounds nice instead of whether God is listening or not. Real prayer is from the bottom of the heart, but not preaching, nor speaking tons of words in front of God as if God does not know and needs you to carefully notify him, give him information and sermon. Prayer is only true when we are weak and have our own needs to get spiritual supply and ability. Without such needs in the heart, all of the prayer becomes false.
Prayer not only should be true, but also should be short. All the prayers in the Bible are almost always short. The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 is quite short. The Lord's prayer before his death in John 16 is kind of long, but compared to the prayers of God's children today, it is much shorter. All church prayers in Acts 4 are also very short. In addition, the most critical prayer in Ephesians 1 is very short, too. The reason for that many prayers become false is because people want to make the prayer longer, so there are only two true sentences and the rest is patch up. Therefore do not use your prayer to afflict the children of God. Some people always like to make long prayer, and when he prays, many people will be afflicted. Long prayer is actually the church's biggest loss.
Moreover, many others still do not know how to behavior in assembly after being Christian for many years. What they care is neither the Lord nor the Holy Spirit, but just himself/herself. Once they go up to the altar to bare witness or short talk they will give lengthy speech. Words only for their own enjoyment are flowing out of their mouth without stopping as if they can not sleep at night if not doing so. But such "witness" or "Tao" can edify nobody except for his/her own good feeling. He/she does not feel the burden but the burden will be taken back home by brothers and sisters.
Christians should always be a person who can edify others. If words from our mouth are beneficial to others we should speak them out. If silence is beneficial to others we should keep quiet. The basic principle of assembly is to edify people.