民二四9　……凡给你祝福的，愿他蒙福；凡咒诅你的，愿他受咒诅。

　　弗一3　我们主耶稣基督的神与父，是当受颂赞的，祂在基督里，曾用诸天界里各样属灵的福分，祝福了我们。

　　在一九四○年代初期，在上海一次祷告聚会中所发生的〔一件〕事，帮助我来看神的百姓，像神看他们一样。在那次聚会中，一位老练的同工姊妹，因着召会下沉的光景而受搅扰，就为召会向主呼求。她祷告时，因着召会可怜的光景而叹息、呻吟。当她祷告完之后，倪弟兄向主发出赞美，并感谢祂，说，召会绝不软弱或下沉，乃是一直高昂的。全会众都震撼。然后，倪弟兄帮助我们认识巴兰对以色列人之预言的意义。巴勒雇巴兰去咒诅以色列人，然而巴兰不但没有咒诅神的百姓，反而祝福他们。巴兰代表神，说，“祂未见雅各中有罪孽，也未见以色列中有祸患。”（民二三21）不仅如此，在民数记二十四章五节巴兰说，“雅各啊，你的帐棚何其佳美！以色列啊，你的帐幕何其华丽！”按照这些经节，神未见以色列中有罪孽和祸患。反之，祂只看见美好、佳美和华丽。今天的召会也是这样（出埃及记生命读经，九四至九五页）。

　　Num. 24:9 …Blessed is everyone who blesses you, and cursed is everyone who curses you.

　　Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ.

　　Something happened in a prayer meeting in Shanghai in the early 1940s that helped me to see God's people as He sees them. In that meeting an experienced sister co-worker, troubled by the low state of the church, cried out to the Lord on behalf of the church. As she prayed, she sighed and groaned because of the poor condition of the church. When she finished praying, Brother Nee broke forth in praise to the Lord and gave Him thanks that the church is never weak or low, but always high. The congregation was shocked. Then Brother Nee helped us to understand the significance of Balaam's prophecy regarding the children of Israel. Balaam was hired by Balak to curse the children of Israel. But instead of cursing God's people, Balaam blessed them. Speaking on behalf of God, Balaam said,”He has not beheld iniquity in Jacob, / Nor has he seen trouble in Israel” (Num. 23:21). Furthermore, in Numbers 24:5 Balaam said,”How fair are your tents, O Jacob, / Your tabernacles, O Israel!” According to these verses, God did not see iniquity or perverseness, trouble, in Israel. Instead, He saw only goodness, fairness, and beauty. The same is true regarding the church today. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 78-79)

　　你若为着召会生活赞美主，称赞召会生活，你就越将自己摆在神的祝福之下。我在召会生活所有的年日中，从未见过一个说召会消极话的人是在神的祝福之下。相反的，所有说召会贫穷、下沉、发死的人，都在咒诅之下。凡说召会积极话的，宣告召会是可爱的，并且召会是神的家的人，都蒙了祝福。这不仅仅是道理，这乃是在许多圣徒的经历中可以得到证实的见证。

　　有时候我对召会感到失望，没有积极的想法，主就在我里面警告我要谨慎。我立刻求主洁净我，并且开始宣告召会是何等美好。即使召会带给我难处，我仍然爱召会。我越这样说积极的话，就越在神的祝福之下。……论到召会，谁的话是正确的？是你的话，还是主的话？在永世里，主的话会显为正确的，因为在永世里，召会将是美妙、荣耀、高超的。仇敌对召会所有的控告都是谎言。说召会贫穷或发死，就是说邪恶的谎言。……召会是拔高的，并且满了生命。……不要看得比主更深。……你比神更智慧或更有洞察力么？圣经宣告主未见以色列中有祸患，你却说你看见了召会中的祸患。你选择要相信哪一个？主的眼光，还是你的？如果在对召会的评估上，我们与主站在一起，我们就要蒙保守，不从祝福中落到咒诅里。

　　每逢我对领头的人用不积极的方式说到召会时，后来总是懊悔。……我若试图为自己找借口，说我不是定罪召会，只是讲述事实，我里面就更受搅扰。……所以，我能从经历中见证，摸召会不是一件小可的事。每当我们摸召会时，必须是积极的，这样，我们就要蒙祝福。

　　旧约启示神多次进来责备以色列人。但是当外邦人攻击神的百姓时，他们迟早都要受亏损。在神眼中，以色列人蒙了救赎，被圣别，被变化，并被建造，而且神在他们中间得着了居所。

　　小心你的天然眼光。若是神未见召会中有罪孽或祸患，你如何能见到？当神怜悯时，祂的怜悯是丰盛的（出埃及记生命读经，九五至九七页）。

　　参读：出埃及记生命读经，第七篇。

　　If you praise the Lord for the church life and speak well concerning it, you will put yourself under God's blessing. During all the years I have been in the church life, I have not seen one person who spoke negatively about the church who was under God's blessing. On the contrary, all who have said that the church was poor, low, or dead have been under a curse. Those who speak positively about the church, declaring that the church is lovely and that it is God's house, receive the blessing. This is not mere doctrine; it is a testimony that can be verified by the experiences of many saints.

　　Sometimes when I am disappointed over the church and do not think positively about it, the Lord within warns me to be careful. Immediately I ask the Lord to cleanse me, and I begin to declare how wonderful the church is. Even though the church may cause me trouble, I still love the church. The more I speak this positive way, the more I am under God's blessing. Whose word about the church is right, yours or the Lord's? In eternity, the Lord's word will prove to be right, for in eternity the church will be marvelous, glorious, and transcendent. All the enemy's accusations regarding the church are lies. To say that the church is poor or dead is to utter a devilish lie….The church is uplifted and very living. Do not see deeper than the Lord sees…. Are you wiser or more perceptive than God? The Bible declares that the Lord does not behold perverseness in Israel. But you claim to see perverseness in the church. Which do you choose to believe, the Lord's sight or yours? If we stand with the Lord's estimation of the church, we shall be kept from falling from the blessing into the curse.

　　Whenever I speak to the leading ones concerning the church in a way that is not positive, I have regrets later…. If I try to excuse myself by saying that I was not condemning the church but simply speaking the facts, I am even more troubled within…. Therefore, I can testify from experience that it is not an easy matter to touch the church. Whenever we touch it, we must do so in a positive way. Then we shall receive the blessing.

　　The Old Testament reveals that many times God came in to rebuke and to reprove the children of Israel. But when the Gentiles attacked God's people, the Gentiles suffered loss sooner or later. In His eyes, the children of Israel were redeemed, sanctified, transformed, and built up, and God had His dwelling place among them.

　　Be careful of your natural sight. If God does not see iniquity or perverseness in the church, then how can you see it? When God is merciful, He abounds in mercy. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 79-81)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Exodus, msg. 7