毗努伊勒的意义
毗努伊勒到底有什么意义？雅各的毗努伊勒，摆在我们身上是什么？我们可以这样说，本来在你身上有一个顽强的特点，这一个特点支配了你，这一个特点成了你行事为人的原则，这一个特点也就是你天然能力寄托的地方，但是在通常的时候你不知道；神给你遇见许多机会，使这一个天然的能力一次显出来，两次显出来，十次显出来，一百次显出来，但是你还不知道；等到有一天，在雅博渡口，你把你所有的本事用尽了，你天然生命的集中点显露出来了，神的手就在那时候来摸你一把，给你看见这就是你天然的能力。这样，你就看见，这是你最丑陋的、最可恶的、最污秽的一个特点。你一生一世所夸口的，所以为荣耀的，所以为了不得的，所以为比别人更好的，所以为满意的，现在忽然被神光照，你就看见这些是血气的生命，是污秽的生命，是败坏的生命，是可恨恶的生命，那一个光把你杀死了，这就叫作毗努伊勒。你本来以为可荣耀的，你本来以为可佩服的，你本来以为可夸口的，你本来以为别人是那样而我不是那样的，就是在那个地方，就是在这一点上，神给你看见这是你血气的生命，神来把这一个生命摸一把，就叫你软弱了，这就叫作毗努伊勒。
你在神面前有你天然的能力需要受对付，可是，当你还没有看见光的时候，你反而会把那一点当作可宝贵、可夸口的。弟兄姊妹，你要小心你所夸口的地方。许多的基督徒，他天然生命的能力，都是在他所夸口的地方。很难得有一个基督徒，他天然生命所寄托的地方不是他所夸口的地方。所以在你夸口的地方要特别小心；许多时候，你夸口的地方，就是神要对付的地方。恐怕就是那一点，是你的大腿窝，神要光照你，神要摸着你这一个大腿窝。凡稍微认识一点毗努伊勒的人，都要作见证说，他被神摸着大腿窝的时候，他不只软弱，他更是羞愧。
“毗努伊勒”在原文的意思是“神的面”。神的面也就是神的光。神在当初是用手摸着雅各大腿窝的筋，神在今天是用光摸着我们天然的生命。神的光给你照一下，你就看见你从前所以为好的，所以为荣耀的，所以为特长的，原来是这么可羞耻的，是这么愚昧的。就是这个光照，叫你受了致命伤，叫你浑身无力了。
弟兄姊妹，我们总得有一天经过毗努伊勒。必须神摸着了我们的天然生命，我们才能在神手里作一个有用处的人。你总得有一天经过这一个。当然，你自己要急也急不来，不过，你能把你自己交给那信实的造化之主，求祂在环境中安排，让祂带领你到一个地步，看见你所有夸口的事都是羞耻的事、愚昧的事。但愿神怜悯我们，给我们光，叫我们因着毗努伊勒─神的面─显出光来照我们的缘故，使神在我们身上的工作能以成功。
信息重点：神的光照，使我们认识自己天然生命真实的光景。
应用祷告：主耶稣，求你用你的光照亮我，使我真实认识自己，不再倚靠天然的能力，愿意谦卑接受你的制作。阿们。
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The Breaking of Jacob’s Natural Life (4) — Gen. 32:29
The Significance of Penuel
What is the real significance of Penuel? What does Jacob’s Penuel mean when applied to us? We can put it this way: there is originally a stubborn characteristic in you, one that dominates you, one that has become your principle of conduct — this characteristic is the place where your natural ability is lodged, yet ordinarily you do not know it. God gives you many opportunities so that this natural ability is exposed once, twice, ten times, a hundred times, yet you still do not know it. Then one day, at the ford of Jabbok, when you have exhausted all your resourcefulness, the concentrated point of your natural life is exposed, and at that moment God’s hand reaches out and touches you, showing you that this is your natural ability. Then you see that this is your ugliest, most detestable, most defiled characteristic. All your life you boasted of it, considered it glorious, considered it remarkable, considered it better than others, took satisfaction in it — but now, suddenly enlightened by God, you see that this is a life of the flesh, a defiled life, a corrupted life, a detestable life; that light puts you to death — this is what is called Penuel. What you once considered glorious, what you once considered admirable, what you once considered worthy of boasting, what you once considered as making you better than others — right there, at that very point, God shows you that this is your fleshly life. God comes and touches this life, and it makes you weak — this is what is called Penuel.
Before God you have a natural ability that needs to be dealt with, but before you have seen the light, you will instead treat that point as something precious, something to boast about. Brothers and sisters, be careful about the thing you boast of. For many Christians, the ability of their natural life is precisely the thing they boast of. It is rare to find a Christian whose natural life is lodged somewhere other than the place he boasts of. So be especially careful about the place you boast of; many times, the place you boast of is exactly the place God wants to deal with. That point is likely your thigh — God wants to shine His light on you, God wants to touch this thigh of yours. Anyone who has even a little experience of Penuel will testify that when God touched his thigh, he was not only made weak, but even more, he was made ashamed. “Penuel” means “the face of God” in the original language. The face of God is also the light of God. In the beginning, God used His hand to touch the sinew of Jacob’s thigh; today, God uses light to touch our natural life. The moment God’s light shines on you, you see that what you once considered good, glorious, and outstanding is actually so shameful, so foolish. It is this very shining that deals you a fatal wound, leaving you utterly without strength.
Brothers and sisters, there must come a day when we pass through Penuel. Only when God has touched our natural life can we become useful in God’s hand. There must come a day when you pass through this. Of course, you cannot force this to happen by your own anxiousness; but you can hand yourself over to that faithful Creator, asking Him to arrange your environment and lead you to the point where you see that everything you once boasted of is shameful and foolish. May God have mercy on us and give us light, so that through Penuel — the face of God — light may shine upon us, that God’s work in us may be accomplished.
Message Main Points: God’s light exposes us to see the true condition of our natural life.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, shine Your light upon me, that I may truly know myself, no longer rely on my natural ability, and be willing to humbly accept Your making. Amen.