(轉簡)
February 11		二月十一日
“As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests…shall rest in the water…the waters shall be cut off.” (Joshua 3:13) The people were not to wait in their camps until the way was opened, they were to walk by faith. They were to break camp, pack up their goods, form in line to march, and move down to the very banks before the river would be opened. If they had come down to the edge of the river and then had stopped for the stream to divide before they stepped into it, they would have waited in vain. They must take one step into the water before the river would be cut off. We must learn to take God at His Word, and go straight on in duty, although we see no way in which we can go forward. The reason we are so often balked by difficulties is that we expect to see them removed before we try to pass through them. If we would move straight on in faith, the path would be opened for us. We stand still, waiting for the obstacle to be removed, when we ought to go forward as if there were no obstacles.━Evening Thoughts What a lesson Columbus gave to the world of perseverance in the face of tremendous difficulties! Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind the gates of Hercules; Before him not the ghost of shores, Before him only shoreless seas. The good Mate said: "Now we must pray, For lo! the very stars are gone. Brave Admiral, speak, what shall I say?" "Why, say, 'Sail on! sail on! and on!'" "My men grow mutinous day by day; My men grow ghastly wan and weak!" The stout Mate thought of home; a spray Of salt wave washed his swarthy cheek. "What shall I say, brave Admiral, say, If we sight naught but seas at dawn?" "Why, you shall say at break of day, 'Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!'" They sailed. They sailed. Then spake the Mate: "This mad sea shows its teeth tonight. He curls his lip, he lies in wait, With lifted teeth, as if to bite! Brave Admiral, say but one good word; What shall we do when hope is gone?" The words leapt like a leaping sword: "Sail on! sail on! sail on! and on!" Then, pale and worn, he kept his deck And peered through darkness. Ah! that night Of all dark nights! And then a speck— A light! A light! A light! A light! It grew, a starlit flag unfurled! It grew to be Time's burst of dawn. He gained a world; he gave that world Its grandest lesson: "On! sail on!" ━Joaquin Miller Faith that goes forward triumphs.		“等到…祭司把腳站在…水裏， …水…必然斷絕” （書三：13） 　百姓必須憑信向前進，並不能在營中坐待外面的路開通了之後方纔起行。他們必須拔營開步，整裝束荷，排齊隊伍，直達河邊，雖然河水還沒有起變化。 　到了河邊，若是他們想停在那裏，等河水分開了，然後伸足下水，他們定規空等，定規到今天還在河東。他們在水斷絕之前，必須先舉足涉水。 　讓我們也學習怎樣用信心抓住神的話前進，不看前面的道路能否通行。我們常受攔阻和難處的挫折，都是因為我們想等神先替我們開路，挪去了一切的攔阻和難處，然後再試着前行。這是何等的錯誤。若是神要我們向前衝，我們就憑着信心抓住祂的話語向前衝，好像一無攔阻一般，路自然會為我們一步步地敞開。━譯自晚思 哥倫布面臨困危時所表現是何等的堅忍,確實堪稱為楷模。 他背後躺着灰色的亞速爾島， 已經遠離了直布羅陀海峽， 前面看不見海岸的影子； 茫茫大海，白浪滔天。 船上的大副說：“我們必須禱告， 看哪！星星都已隱湮。 勇敢的船長，我該怎樣下令？” 你說：“駛向前去！向前！向前！” “我的船員一天比一天更想叛變， 他們形容憔悴，衰弱可憐，” 大副這樣報告，心中思念家鄉。 鹹澀的浪花濺上他黝黑的臉。 “我該怎樣下令，英勇的船長， 假若明早仍衹見海水無邊？” “哦，破曉的時候你該說： 駛向前去！向前！向前！” 他們繼續航行，大副說道： “今夜狂暴的海洋露出了獠牙， 掀開了唇，張開了大嘴， 好像要吞滅我們，咬死我們！ 英勇的船長，衹求你說一句話； 希望已渺，無法持守！” 但船長的話如利刃出鞘說： “駛向前去！向前！向前！” 他精疲力竭，苦守甲板， 從黑暗中遠遠眺望， 有一夜，忽然遙見一點微光， 光明！光明！光明已在望！ 它的發展，就是日後的旗旌， 時代的黎明，展開在黑暗之間， 他達到了那新世界，並且給那世界 一個最偉大的啟示，“駛向前去！向前！” ━密勒 憑着信心前進，卽是勝利。
February 12 “Your heavenly Father knoweth. ” (Matt. 6:32) A visitor at a school for the deaf and dumb was writing questions on the blackboard for the children. By and by he wrote this sentence: "Why has God made me to hear and speak, and made you deaf and dumb?" The awful sentence fell upon the little ones like a fierce blow in the face. They sat palsied before that dreadful "Why?" And then a little girl arose. Her lip was trembling. Her eyes were swimming with tears. Straight to the board she walked, and, picking up the crayon, wrote with firm hand these precious words: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight!"(Mt.11:26) What a reply! It reaches up and lays hold of an eternal truth upon which the maturest believer as well as the youngest child of God may alike securely rest━the truth that God is your Father. Do you mean that? Do you really and fully believe that? When you do, then your dove of faith will no longer wander in weary unrest, but will settle down forever in its eternal resting place of peace. "Your Father!" I can still believe that a day comes for all of us, however far off it may be, when we shall understand; when these tragedies, that now blacken and darken the very air of heaven for us, will sink into their places in a scheme so august, so magnificent, so joyful, that we shall laugh for wonder and delight. ━Arthur Christopher Bacon No chance hath brought this ill to me; 'Tis God's own hand, so let it be, He seeth what I cannot see. There is a need-be for each pain, And He one day will make it plain That earthly loss is heavenly gain. Like as a piece of tapestry Viewed from the back appears to be Naught but threads tangled hopelessly; But in the front a picture f air Rewards the worker for his care, Proving his skill and patience rare. Thou art the Workman, I the frame. Lord, for the glory of Thy Name, Perfect Thine image on the same. ━Selected		二月十二日 “你們的天父是知道的” （太六：32） 　有一位訪客，一次去參觀一間聾啞學校。他看見那些聾啞的學生正在聖經班上頂虔誠地讀神的話語。他就在他們的黑板上寫了一個問題請他們答覆：“神旣然愛你們，為甚麼使你們聾啞，倒反使我能聽能說呢”？ 　全班學生都因這一個苛刻的問題受打擊。他們大家坐着相對唏噓，向着那可怕的“為甚麼”發呆。過了一會兒，一位頂小的女孩子站了起來。 　她的嘴唇還在顫動。她的目眶中飽滿了眼淚。她走到前面，爬在椅子上，（因為黑板高，她的身體矮小），拿起粉筆，用堅定的手筆寫上這幾個寶貝的字：“父啊，是的，因為祢的美意本是如此”（太十一：26）。這是何等切實的一個答覆呢！這是一個永久的真理，無論大人，無論小孩，都可以安息在其中的━天地之主是我們的父。 　讀者，你信不信神是你的父呢？如果你真信，那麼你信心的鴿子不會再遊蕩無依找不着落腳之地了，因為可以永遠穩定在安息所━你們的父那裏了！ 　我一直相信，總有一天，不管它離開現在還有多久，我們會明白一切；到了那一天，如今使我們覺得遮蔽天空的許多黑暗悲傷，都將消散，由那新的圖案來代替黑暗，那新的圖案設計得如何莊嚴華麗和喜悅，我們將在此奇妙的喜樂中了。━培根 並非機遇給我帶來的不幸； 這是神的賜予，所以衹有聽命， 因為祂看見我所見不到的情境。 任何痛苦都有它們的原因， 有一天祂將會給你說明， 地上的損失，換來了天上的歡欣。 像氈毯織滿了花， 從背面去看， 衹是線亂如麻。 但正面卻是一幅美畫， 表現了作者的絕妙才華， 絲絲入扣的匠心，有了代價。 主啊，你是藝匠，我是作品， 為了榮耀祢的名， 以祢的形像來塑我的型。 ━選
February 13 “The hill country shall be thine. ” (Josh. 17:18, R.V.) There is always room higher up. When the valleys are full of Canaanites, whose iron chariots withstand your progress, get up into the hills, occupy the upper spaces. If you can no longer work for God, pray for those who can. If you cannot move earth by your speech, you may move Heaven. If the development of life on the lower slopes is impossible, through limitations of service, the necessity of maintaining others, and such-like restrictions, let it break out toward the unseen, the eternal, the Divine. Faith can fell forests. Even if the tribes had realized what treasures lay above them, they would hardly have dared to suppose it possible to rid the hills of their dense forest-growth. But as God indicated their task, He reminded them that they had power enough. The visions of things that seem impossible are presented to us, like these forest-covered steeps, not to mock us, but to incite us to spiritual exploits which would be impossible unless God had stored within us the great strength of His own indwelling. Difficulty is sent to reveal to us what God can do in answer to the faith that prays and works. Are you straitened in the valleys? Get away to the hills, live there; get honey out of the rock, and wealth out of the terraced slopes now hidden by forest. ━Daily Devotional Commentary Got any rivers they say are uncrossable, Got any mountains they say 'can't tunnel through'? We specialize in the wholly impossible, Doing the things they say you can't do. ━Song of the Panama builders		二月十三日 “山地也要歸你” （書十七：18） 　山上有寬暢的地盤。平原上住滿了迦南人，他們都有鐵車阻礙你的擴張，所以你該上山去，佔據山上的地業。也許今日你受阻不能為神作工，你該求神興起能作工的。也許你的話語不能感動人，你可以感動天。也許你的工作受經濟，人才，恩賜，以及種種難處的限制，你可以在上面看不見的，永活的神那裏發展。 　山上有樹林的攔阻，然而憑着信心可以砍伐。當初以色列各支派雖然明知山上有寬地和寶藏，他們還不敢自信能砍伐叢密的樹林，開路上山。但是神指示他們，提醒他們：他們有足夠的力量可以把樹木砍去。今天許多的攔阻，許多似乎不可能的事情，擺在我們面前，像山上的樹林一般，並不是來嘲笑我們的，乃是來催促我們向神懇求應許和支取力量的。 　每一次難處來到，都是暗示我們神怎樣答應我們信心的禱告和工作的。讀者，你覺得平原太窄小麼？上山去罷，住在那裏，在那裏發展罷；在那裏你可以從磐石中得蜜，從地中得寶藏。━譯自日誠報 可曾遇到，被認為跨不過的大江？ 可曾遇到，被認為鑿不通的山崗？ 別人說不可能做的事，我們都能， 克服任何不可能，是我們的專長。 ━巴拿馬運河工人之歌
February 14 “And again I say, Rejoice. ” (Phil. 4:4) It is a good thing to rejoice in the Lord. Perhaps you have tried this, and the first time seemed to fail. Never mind, keep right on and when you cannot feel any joy, when there is no spring, and no seeming comfort and encouragement, still rejoice, and count it all joy. Even when you fall into divers temptations, reckon it joy and delight and God will make your reckoning good. Do you suppose your Father will let you carry the banner of His victory and His gladness on to the front of the battle, and then coolly stand back and see you captured or beaten back by the enemy? NEVER! The Holy Spirit will sustain you in your bold advance, and fill your heart with gladness and praise, and you will find your heart all exhilarated and refreshed by the fullness within. Lord teach me to rejoice in Thee, and to "rejoice evermore." (1 Thess.5:16)━Selected "The weakest saint may Satan rout, Who meets him with a praiseful shout." "…Be filled with the Spirit,...singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." (Eph. 5:18, 19) Here the Apostle urges the use of singing as one of the inspiring helps in the spiritual life. He counsels his readers not to seek their stimulus through the body, but through the spirit; not by the quickening of the flesh, but by the exaltation of the soul. "Sometimes a light surprises The Christian while he sings." Let us sing even when we do not feel like it, for thus we may give wings to leaden feet and turn weariness into strength. ━J. H. Jowett "At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." (Acts 16:25) Oh, Paul, thou wondrous example to the flock, who could thus glory, bearing in the body as thou didst "…the marks of the Lord Jesus"!(Gal.6:17) Marks from stoning almost to the death, from thrice beating with rods, from those hundred and ninety-five stripes laid on thee by the Jews, and from stripes received in that Philippian jail, which had they not drawn blood would not have called for washing! Surely the grace which enabled thee to sing praises under such suffering is all-sufficient grace. ━J. Roach "Oh, let us rejoice in the Lord, evermore, When darts of the tempter are flying, For Satan still dreads, as he oft did of yore, Our singing much more than our sighing."		二月十四日 “我再說你們要喜樂” （腓四：4） 　在主裏喜樂，何其佳美！也許你曾試過要凡事喜樂，可是不久卽告失敗。不要緊，仍繼續下去，當你不能感覺喜樂，沒有可以喜樂的理由，安慰和鼓勵時，仍該喜樂，算作喜樂。甚至當你落在百般試煉中的時侯，仍要算作喜樂；這樣，神就要證明你的“算”不是徒然的。你想你的父親會不會讓你舉着得勝和喜樂的旗號到前線去，然後祂冷冷地向後一退，任憑你被仇敵擄去或擊敗呢？決不！父的聖靈必定會在你勇敢地前進的時侯支持你，將喜樂和讚美充滿你的心，那時侯你就會因着裏面的充滿感到非常的新鮮和歡樂了。主啊，教導我們怎樣在你裏面喜樂，“要常常喜樂”（帖前五：16）━選 “向撒但高唱對主的讚美， 最弱的聖徒，也能擊敗魔鬼。” “…要被聖靈充滿…口唱心和讚美主”（弗五：18-19） 　這裏使徒保羅勸我們用歌唱讚美來增進我們的靈命。他勸告讀者，要從聖靈裏尋求激動，而不是外表的興奮，不是求肉體的刺激，乃是求靈裏的歡欣。 “聖徒以歌頌讚美神， 時常會見到光明的驟臨。” 　讓我們不斷地歌唱讚美，甚至不喜歡唱的時侯也得唱。這或許可以使你沉滯的腿上有似添了活潑的翅翼，轉變疲乏成為力量。━喬懷得 　“約在半夜，保羅和西拉，禱告﹑唱詩﹑讚美神；眾囚犯也側耳而聽”（徒十六：25） 哦！使徒保羅，你真是眾聖徒的表率，你能夠這樣榮耀神，你“…身上帶着耶穌的印記。”（加六：17）你有被石擲傷的記號三次棍打的傷疤，猶太人給你的一百九十五鞭的鞭痕，腓立比監獄中無數的血斑！你靠着恩典還能在受苦的牢獄中唱出讚美來。啊，我相信那恩典一定是彀用的恩典！━羅區 魔鬼的飛箭如雨而來， 我們永遠在主裏歡喜， 從古到今，撒但總有它的戒心， 我們的歌唱，遠勝我們的哀嘆。
February 15 “Fret not thyself……” (Psalm 37:1) Do not get into a perilous heat about things. If ever heat were justified, it was surely justified in the circumstances outlined in the Psalm. Evil-doers were moving about clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day. "…Workers of iniquity…" (Ps.92:7) were climbing into the supreme places of power, and were tyrannizing their less fortunate brethren. Sinful men and women were stalking through the land in the pride of life and basking in the light and comfort of great prosperity, and good men were becoming heated and fretful. "Fret not thyself." Do not get unduly heated! Keep cool! Even in a good cause, fretfulness is not a wise help-meet. Fretting only heats the bearings; it does not generate the steam. It is no help to a train for the axles to get hot; their heat is only a hindrance. When the axles get heated, it is because of unnecessary friction; dry surfaces are grinding together, which ought to be kept in smooth co-operation by a delicate cushion of oil. And is it not a suggestive fact that this word "fret" is closely akin to the word "friction," and is an indication of absence of the anointing oil of the grace of God? In fretfulness, a little bit of grit gets into the bearings━some slight disappointment, some ingratitude, some discourtesy━and the smooth working of the life is checked. Friction begets heat; and with the heat, most dangerous conditions are created. Do not let thy bearings get hot. Let the oil of the Lord keep thee cool, lest by reason of an unholy heat thou be reckoned among the evil-doers. ━The Silver Lining. Dear restless heart, be still; don't fret and worry so; God has a thousand ways His love and help to show; Just trust, and trust, and trust, until His will you know. Dear restless heart, be still, for peace is God's own smile, His love can every wrong and sorrow reconcile; Just love, and love, and love, and calmly wait awhile. Dear restless heart, be brave; don't moan and sorrow so, He hath a meaning kind in chilly winds that blow; Just hope, and hope, and hope, until you braver grow. Dear restless heart, repose upon His breast this hour, His grace is strength and life, His love is bloom and flower; Just rest, and rest, and rest, within His tender power. Dear restless heart, be still! Don't struggle to be free; God's life is in your life, from Him you may not flee; Just pray, and pray, and pray, till you have faith to see. ━Edith Willis Linn		二月十五日 　“不要…心懷不平…” （詩三十七：1） 　不要冒火，抱不平。我們常見作惡者穿了紫色細麻布的長袍，終日宴樂，凡事順利。“惡人…”（詩九十二：7）執掌大權，欺壓不幸的人們。犯罪的男女享受安逸驕奢的生活，因此好人常會冒火，抱不平。 　可是經上說：“不要…心懷不平”。不要冒火！把火氣冷下去！卽使你的冒火是很有理由的，但是也不是一個聰明的辦法。不平衹會起摩擦，（一種衝突）；不平不能變成和平。一部火車的車軸如果發熱了，並不能幫助火車前進；它們的發熱衹能產生障礙。車軸發熱的緣故，乃是為了不必需的摩擦；我們應該讓神用祂的恩膏塗在我們不平的地方，以免生出軋轢來。 　心中懷了不平，就會有許多尖銳鋒利的砂粒━急躁，惱恨，嫉妒，無禮等—嵌進來，叫你失去生活中謙和的香氣。摩擦生熱，熱後就會發生最危險的破壞。所以不要懷抱不平。讓神的聖膏油使你平滑罷；否則，恐怕因着冒火的緣故，你自己就會列在做惡者之中了。━銀襯 不安的心，要寧靜；莫煩惱，莫忿怒； 神有無數方法，來顯示祂的愛與幫助， 衹有深信祂，直到你明白祂的旨意和囑咐。 不安的心，要寧靜，安詳表示神的歡顏， 祂的愛能消除一切的乖戾和悲哀； 衹要愛主，深愛祂，暫且安詳的等待。 不安的心，要勇敢，不要悲傷惆悵， 在那刺骨的寒風中，神送來了慈愛恩惠； 衹要盼望，要盼望，直到你的膽大氣壯。 不安的心，這時候該在懷裏憩息， 祂的慈愛是花，祂的恩典是生命活力， 衹管安息，需安息，安息在祂溫柔的懷中。 不安的心，要寧靜，不必自我掙扎， 神與你的生命已成一片，不可分離， 衹管祈禱，多祈禱，使你的信心不移。 ━李因譯自銀襯
February 16 “Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. ” (Nah. 1:12) There is a limit to affliction. God sends it, and removes it. Do you sigh and say, "When will the end be?" Let us quietly wait and patiently endure the will of the Lord till He cometh. Our Father takes away the rod when His design in using it is fully served. If the affliction is sent for testing us, that our graces may glorify God, it will end when the Lord has made us bear witness to His praise. We would not wish the affliction to depart until God has gotten out of us all the honor which we can possibly yield Him. There may be today "a great calm." Who knows how soon those raging billows will give place to a sea of glass, and the sea birds sit on the gentle waves? After long tribulation, the flail is hung up, and the wheat rests in the garner. We may, before many hours are past, be just as happy as now we are sorrowful. It is not hard for the Lord to turn night into day. He that sends the clouds can as easily clear the skies. Let us be of good cheer. It is better farther on. Let us sing Hallelujah by anticipation. ━C. H. Spurgeon. The great Husbandman is not always threshing. Trial is only for a season. The showers soon pass. Weeping may tarry only for the few hours of the short summer night; it must be gone at daybreak. Our light affliction is but for a moment. Trial is for a purpose, "If needs be." The very fact of trial proves that there is something in us very precious to our Lord; else He would not spend so much pains and time on us. Christ would not test us if He did not see the precious ore of faith mingled in the rocky matrix of our nature; and it is to bring this out into purity and beauty that He forces us through the fiery ordeal. Be patient, O sufferer! The result will more than compensate for all our trials, when we see how they wrought out the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. To have one word of God's commendation; to be honored before the holy angels; to be glorified in Christ, so as to be better able to flash His glory on Himself━ah! that will more than repay for all. ━Tried by Fire. As the weights of the clock, or the ballast in the vessel, are necessary for their right ordering, so is trouble in the soul-life. The sweetest scents are only obtained by tremendous pressure; the fairest flowers grow amid Alpine snow-solitudes; the fairest gems have suffered longest from the lapidary's wheel; the noblest statues have borne most blows of the chisel. All, however, are under law. Nothing happens that has not been appointed with consummate care and foresight. ━Daily Devotional Commentary		二月十六日 “我雖然使你受苦，卻不再使你受苦” （鴻一：12） 　受苦是有限制的。神能使你受苦，也能免去你受苦。讀者啊，你豈不是在嘆息說：“要受苦到幾時方纔停止呢？”哦，讓我們耐心等待，直到神的旨意成功。當父用杖的目的完成以後，我們的父自然會把杖挪去的。 　神使我們受苦，若是目的為要試驗我們，要我們在受苦中靠恩典榮耀祂，那麼，必須等到我們在人前有了明顯的見證之後，苦難纔會停止。 　我們不該盼望苦難早些離去，除非神已經從我們得到了我們該給祂的一切榮耀和尊貴。也許今天就會有平安。誰知道波浪翻騰的海頃刻之間就會變成平靜如鏡，讓海鳥在波上滑翔呢？ 　農夫經歷了許多艱難之後，犁和鐮可以藏起來了，禾可以紮成捆收在倉裏了。那時我們都要歡喜快樂了。 　在神不難將黑夜變成白晝。祂能將黑雲密佈天空，祂也能很容易地使天氣清朗。所以讓我們放心罷。苦難終究是要過去的。讓我們預先唱哈利路亞罷。━司布真 　農夫不會一直打穀的，神也不會一直用杖的。試煉不過是暫時的。目前雖然有暴雨，不久卻要停止的。一宿雖然有哭泣，早晨便必歡呼。因為祂的怒氣不過是轉眼之間，祂的恩典乃是一生之久。我們這至輕的苦楚，乃是至暫的。並且這至暫的苦楚也是有目標的━為要完成我們永遠的榮耀。 　信徒受試煉，就是證明我們在主面前的寶貴；不然主不會花這許多時間，力氣和心機在我們身上的。主決不會來試煉我們，除非祂發現我們有頂寶貴的信心的鑛苗，混在我們肉體的砂石中，祂要把我們純粹的信心提出來，就必須放我們在試煉的爐火中。 　哦，受苦的信徒們阿，耐着罷！將來我們所得的酬報，將遠超過現在所出的代價。在萬王之王的面前得稱讚；在千萬聖天使面前受尊敬；在基督裏得榮耀；在國度和永世裏戴冠冕，操鐵杖，坐寶座━坐王，直到永遠。阿，這是何等的賞賜呢！━譯自火的試煉 　時鳴鍾上的鍾錘，是使時鳴鍾走得準確的必需品；照樣，患難也是屬靈生命的必需品。香料越壓得緊，香氣越是濃郁；最美麗的花卉，是生長在荒僻的雪地裏的；最精美的寶石，受匠人琢磨的時間最長；最貴重的彫刻，受鑿子的擊打最多。這是一個定律。任何事物的完成，都要經過遠見高大而無微不至的磨煉。━日誠報
February 17 “The land which I do give them, even the children of Israel. ” (Joshua 1:2) God here speaks in the immediate present. It is not something He is going to do, but something He does do, this moment. So faith ever speaks. So God ever gives. So He is meeting you today, in the present moment. This is the test of faith. So long as you are waiting for a thing, hoping for it, looking for it, you are not believing. It may be hope, it may be earnest desire, but it is not faith; for "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb.11:1)The command in regard to believing prayer is the present tense. "…When ye pray, believe that ye receive the things that ye desire, and ye shall have them." (Mk.11:24) Have we come to that moment? Have we met God in His everlasting NOW? ━Joshua, by Simpson True faith counts on God, and believes before it sees. Naturally, we want some evidence that our petition is granted before we believe; but when we walk by faith we need no other evidence than God's Word. He has spoken, and according to our faith it shall be done unto us. We shall see because we have believed, and this faith sustains us in the most trying places, when everything around us seems to contradict God's Word. The Psalmist says, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living" (Ps.27:13). He did not see as yet the Lord's answer to his prayers, but he believed to see; and this kept him from fainting. If we have the faith that believes to see, it will keep us from growing discouraged. We shall "laugh at impossibilities," we shall watch with delight to see how God is going to open up a path through the Red Sea when there is no human way out of our difficulty. It is just in such places of severe testing that our faith grows and strengthens. Have you been waiting upon God, dear troubled one, during long nights and weary days, and have feared that you were forgotten? Nay, lift up your head, and begin to praise Him even now for the deliverance which is on its way to you. ━Life of Praise		二月十七日 “我……賜給以色列人的地” （書一：2直譯） 　這裏神所說的“賜給”是現在式。並不是神將要作的事，乃是神就在此刻要作的。信心求神現在，神就現在賜給。神今天就要工作。許多時侯我們在神面前等候一件東西，盼望一件東西，尋求一件東西，卻並沒有相信。這不過是我們的盼望，這不過是我們的需要，並不是我們的信心；因為“信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據”（來十一：1）。「…凡你們禱告祈求的,無論是甚麼,衹要信是得着的,就必得着。」(可11:24)這裏說到信心的禱告，所用的動詞都是現在式的。我們有沒有這現在的信心呢？━宣信,(約書亞記) 　真實的信心，就是以神的話為算數，在未見應驗之前，就已經深信了。頂自然地，我們常要先有眼見，或是憑據，證明我們所求的已經蒙神應許，然後纔肯相信；但是如果我們走信心的道路，除了神的話以外，我們不需要別的憑據，雖然四周的環境僅可和祂的話相反。祂已經說了，必定會按照我們的信心，給我們成全的。我們將要看見祂話語的應驗，因為我們已經信了。 　寫詩篇的人說：“我若不信在活人之地得見耶和華的恩惠，就早已喪膽了”（詩二十七：13）。他雖然還沒有看見神對他禱告的答應，但是他已經相信得見；這就能保守他不喪膽。 　若是我們也有“信得見”的信心，我們就不會灰心了。我們要笑“不可能”，我們要頂高興地看神怎樣在紅海━人沒有方法可以脫離艱難的時侯━開路。在這種試驗中，我們的信心最會長發。 　親愛的受苦的信徒阿，你是不是日夜在等待神，深怕神已經把你忘了呢？決不會的，你當舉起你的頭來，為着那已經在半路上的拯救開始讚美祂。━譯自讚美的生命
February 18 “Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be. ” (Mark 11:24) When my little son was about ten years of age, his grandmother promised him a stamp album for Christmas. Christmas came, but no stamp album, and no word from grandmother. The matter, however, was not mentioned; but when his playmates came to see his Christmas presents, I was astonished, after he had named over this and that as gifts received, to hear him add, "And a stamp album from grandmother." I had heard it several times, when I called him to me, and said, "But, Georgie, you did not get an album from your grandmother. Why do you say so?" There was a wondering look on his face, as if he thought it strange that I should ask such a question, and he replied, "Well, mamma, grandma said, so it is the same as." I could not say a word to check his faith. A month went by, and nothing was heard from the album. Finally, one day, I said, to test his faith, and really wondering in my heart why the album had not been sent, "Well, Georgie, I think grandma has forgotten her promise." "Oh, no, mamma," he quickly and firmly said, "she hasn't." I watched the dear, trusting face, which, for a while, looked very sober, as if debating the possibilities I had suggested. Finally a bright light passed over it, and he said, "Mamma, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album?" "I do not know," I said, "but you might try it." A rich spiritual truth began to dawn upon me. In a few minutes a letter was prepared and committed to the mail, and he went off whistling his confidence in his grandma. In just a short time a letter came, saying: "My dear Georgie: I have not forgotten my promise to you, of an album. I tried to get such a book as you desired, but could not get the sort you wanted; so I sent on to New York. It did not get here till after Christmas, and it was still not right, so I sent for another, and as it has not come as yet, I send you three dollars to get one in Chicago. Your loving grandma." As he read the letter, his face was the face of a victor. "Now, mamma, didn't I tell you?" came from the depths of a heart that never doubted, that, "…against hope, believed in hope…"(Rom.4:18) that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, grandma was working, and in due season faith became sight. It is so human to want sight when we step out on the promises of God, but our Savior said to Thomas, and to the long roll of doubters who have ever since followed him: "…Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."(Jn.20:29) ━Mrs. Rounds		二月十八日 “凡你們禱告祈求的，無論是甚麼，衹要信是得着的，就必得着” （可十一：24） 　我有一個十歲的孩子，他的祖母應許給他一本郵票簿，作為聖誕禮物。可是過了許久，她並沒有給他，也不再提起。這孩子也並不放在心上；可是，當他的同伴來看他的禮物時，他一件一件把收到的禮物拿出來給他們看了之後，總加上一句： “祖母給我一本郵票簿。” 　我聽他說了好幾次，很是希奇，所以我特地叫他到我面前來，問他說：“孩子，你並沒有從你祖母那裏得到一本郵票簿。你為甚麼常對你的同伴這樣說呢？” 　他臉上起了詫異之色，似乎希奇我會發這樣一個問題。他回答說：“媽媽，祖母旣應許了，這就等於我已經得着了。“我就不能再說甚麼，免得傷他的信心。 　一個月過去了，郵票簿仍是無着。一天，我要試試他的信心，就對他說：“孩子，我想祖母已經忘記了她的應許了”。 　他很快，很堅持地說：“不，媽媽，她決不會忘記的”。 　我望着那親愛的，深信的小臉，看見他現在很正經的樣子，好似要辯服我方纔所說的話一般。過了一會兒，他臉上現出了喜悅的光彩，說道： 　“媽媽，你想我好不好現在寫一封信去謝謝她的禮物呢？” 　我說：“我不替你規定；可是，你可以試一試”。 　（這時侯神用光照亮我，給我看見了一段豐富屬靈的真理）。幾分鐘之內，他已把謝信寫好寄出了，回來的時侯，嘴裏還唱着歡樂的歌兒，證明他對祖母的信任。不久回信來了，裏面寫着： 　“我所親愛的喬琪：我並沒有忘記我對你的應許━一本郵票簿。我想照你合意的樣式去買，可是在本城買不到；所以我就到紐約城去函購。寄到了以後，一看，仍舊不對，所以我又到芝加哥去函購了。你所愛的祖母”。 　他讀完了信，臉上帶着勝利的氣概，對我說：“媽媽，我不是告述過你麼？祖母旣應許了，這就等於我已經得着了”。他的心裏，從來沒有疑惑過，這就是“…在無可指望的時侯，因信仍有指望…”（羅四：18）。他深信郵票簿一定會來的。他信他的祖母進行，不久信心就變成了事實。 　人們常要在神的應許上先有眼見，但是我們的主對多馬說，也對那些跟從他而懷疑的人說：“…那沒有看見就信的，有福了”（約二十：29）━朗滋夫人
February 19 “And every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ” (John 15:2) A child of God was dazed by the variety of afflictions which seemed to make her their target. Walking past a vineyard in the rich autumnal glow she noticed the untrimmed appearance and the luxuriant wealth of leaves on the vines, that the ground was given over to a tangle of weeds and grass, and that the whole place looked utterly uncared for; and as she pondered, the Heavenly Gardener whispered so precious a message that she would fain pass it on: "My dear child, are you wondering at the sequence of trials in your life? Behold that vineyard and learn of it. The gardener ceases to prune, to trim, to harrow, or to pluck the ripe fruit only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season. It is left to itself, because the season of fruit is past and further effort for the present would yield no profit. Comparative uselessness is the condition of freedom from suffering. Do you then wish me to cease pruning your life? Shall I leave you alone?" And the comforted heart cried, "No!"━Homera Homer-Dixon It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth, A fuller life. Though every budding twig be lopped, And every grace Of swaying tendril, springing leaf, Be lost a space. O thou whose life of joy seems reft, Of beauty shorn; Whose aspirations lie in dust, All bruised and torn, Rejoice, tho' each desire, each dream, Each hope of thine Shall fall and fade; it is the hand Of Love Divine That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks With tenderest touch, That thou, whose life has borne some fruit May'st now bear much. ━Annie Johnson Flint		二月十九日 “凡結果子的，他就修理乾淨，使枝子結果子更多” (約十五：2） 　有一個神的孩子正希奇像她這樣愛主的信徒，為甚麼神還要使她落在百般的試煉中呢？有一次，她走過一個葡萄園，看見裏邊有許多的葡萄藤，未經修剪枝子繁多，葉子茂盛，四周長了無數的雜草，地上堆了許多的枯葉；顯然是一個完全沒有人經營的荒園；當她站着沉思的時侯，神就光照她給她看見一段頂寶貝的信息。 　“我所愛的孩子阿，你是不是在希奇你一生的遭遇呢？你看這個葡萄園，從其中學習一個功課吧。園丁不替它修剪不結果的枝子，不摘去不需要的葉子，不除去害蟲和雜草，要不要我把你放在一邊呢”？她的心受了安慰大聲說道：“不！不！”━狄克生 結果子的枝幹， 才會受到剪栽， 為了幫助它的生長， 結出更多的果子來。 搖曳生姿的細枝， 含苞欲放的蓓蕾， 青蔥可愛的嫩芽， ━都會摧殘。 歡樂的生命， 摧殘得黯淡無光， 抱負化為塵土， 磨折得遍體鱗傷。 你一切欲望， 一切希求和幻夢， 都將化為泡影， 你要歡喜，你要慶幸。 那是神執着刀， 細心在給你修剪， 使你結果子的生命， 更為豐富繁衍。 ━富林德
February 20 “Nothing shall be impossible unto you. ” (Matt. 17:20) It is possible, for those who really are willing to reckon on the power of the Lord for keeping and victory, to lead a life in which His promises are taken as they stand and are found to be true. It is possible to cast all our care upon Him daily and to enjoy deep peace in doing it. It is possible to have the thoughts and imaginations of our hearts purified, in the deepest meaning of the word. It is possible to see the will of God in everything, and to receive it, not with sighing, but with singing. It is possible by taking complete refuge in Divine power to become strong through and through; and, where previously our greatest weakness lay, to find that things which formerly upset all our resolves to be patient, or pure, or humble, furnish today an opportunity━through Him who loved us, and works in us an agreement with His will and a blessed sense of His presence and His power━to make sin powerless over us. These things are DIVINE POSSIBILITIES, and because they are His work, the true experience of them will always cause us to bow lower at His feet and to learn to thirst and long for more. We cannot possibly be satisfied with anything less━each day, each hour, each moment, in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit━than to WALK WITH GOD. ━H. C. G. Moule. We may have as much of God as we will. Christ puts the key of the treasure-chamber into our hand, and bids us take all that we want. If a man is admitted into the bullion vault of a bank, and told to help himself, and comes out with one cent, whose fault is it that he is poor? Whose fault is it that Christian people generally have such scanty portions of the free riches of God? ━McLaren		二月二十日 “你們沒有一件不能作的事了”（太十七：20） 　有了信心，我們就沒有一件不能的事了。衹要我們真相信神有保守和得勝的能力，我們就能看見祂所說的話語和應許，都是實在的。 　我們能天天把我們一切的罣慮和重擔卸給神，享受平安和喜樂。 　我們能管轄頭腦中的思想，晝夜繫念神的話語。 　我們能在每一件事情上清楚神的旨意；不是用嘆息，乃是用讚美去接受。 　我們能靠神的恩典剛強；我們以前的軟弱，以前叫我們不能忍耐，聖潔與謙卑的罪，今天都能靠着愛我們的主勝過了，使罪完全失去它在我們身上的權勢。 　這些都是神恩典中可能的事，如果我們有了這些經歷，就會更願意俯伏在神腳前，也就會更渴慕最高的靈命。 　我們如果不能每天，每小時，每分鐘，在基督裏，藉着聖靈的能力與神同行，我們就不會得到滿足。━慕爾 在基督裏，我們能有神一切的豐富。主已經把神寶庫的鑰匙放在我們手中了，祂吩咐我們去無限制地領取一切我們所要的。若是一個銀行的行長，准許一個窮人到銀行庫中去任意取他所要的；假定那個窮人出來的時侯，衹帶了一文錢，這是誰的過失呢？基督徒能得到神完全的豐富，而仍過着極窮的生活，這是誰的過失呢？━馬克拉倫

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