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(轉簡)
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March 21
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三月二十一日
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“According to your faith be it unto you.” (Matt. 9:29)
"Praying through" might be defined as praying one's way
into full faith, emerging while yet praying into the assurance that one has
been accepted and heard, so that one becomes actually aware of receiving, by
firmest anticipation and in advance of the event, the thing for which he
asks.
Let us remember
that no earthly circumstances can hinder the fulfillment of His Word if we
look steadfastly at the immutability of that Word and not at the uncertainty
of this ever━changing world.
God would have us believe His Word without other confirmation, and then He is ready to give us "according to our faith."
"When once
His Word is past,
When He hath
said , 'I will,' (Heb. 13:5)
The thing shall
come at last;
God keeps His
promise still." (2 Cor. 1:20)
The prayer of the
Pentecostal age was like a cheque to be paid in
coin over the counter. ━Sir R. Anderson.
"And God said…and it was so."
(Gen. 1:9)
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“照着你們的信給你們成全了罷。”
(太九：29)
“禱告透切”的意思就是禱告到完全的信心裏去；禱告到還在禱告的時候就已經有了一種把握：覺得我們的禱告已蒙垂聽，已蒙悅納了；禱告到事情還沒有實現之先，已經得着了所求的。
讓我們記得世上任何環境，都不能攔阻神的話應驗，所以讓我們堅信祂的話沒有改變的可能，雖然世界一直在改變。神要我們單信祂的話，不用別的證實，或憑據，然後祂要照着我們的信給我們成全。
事情終會實現,
祂有過應許在先；
祂說:“不撇下你”，(來十三：5)
神永遠信守諾言。(林後一：20)
古代信徒的禱告，像放在銀行櫃檯上的支票一樣，立刻可以兌取現金。━安德生
“神說…事就這樣成了。”(創一：9)
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March
22
“And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in
the wilderness of Mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a
bush…saying…I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I
have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I
will send thee into Egypt.”
(Acts 7:30, 32, 34)
That was a long wait in preparation for a great mission. When God
delays, He is not inactive. He is getting ready His instruments, He is ripening
our powers; and at the appointed moment we shall arise equal to our task.
Even Jesus of Nazareth was thirty years
in privacy, growing in wisdom before He began His work. ━Dr. Jowett.
God is never in a
hurry but spends years with those He expects to greatly use. He never thinks
the days of preparation too long or too dull.
The hardest
ingredient in suffering is often time. A short, sharp pang is easily borne,
but when a sorrow drags its weary way through long, monotonous years, and day
after day returns with the same dull routine of hopeless agony, the heart
loses its strength, and without the grace of God, is sure to sink into the
very sullenness of despair. Joseph's was a long trial,
and God often has to burn His lessons into the depths of our being by the
fires of protracted pain. "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver," but He knows how long, and like a true goldsmith He stops the
fires the moment He sees His image in the glowing metal. We may not see now
the outcome of the beautiful plan which God is hiding in the shadow of His
hand; it yet may be long concealed; but faith may be sure that He is sitting
on the throne, calmly waiting the hour when, with adoring rapture, we shall
say, "All things have worked together for good." Like Joseph, let
us be more careful to learn all the lessons in the school of sorrow than we
are anxious for the hour of deliverance. There is a "need━be" for every lesson, and when we are ready, our deliverance
will surely come, and we shall find that we could not have stood in our place
of higher service without the very things that were taught us in the ordeal.
God is educating us for the future, for higher service and nobler blessings;
and if we have the qualities that fit us for a throne, nothing can keep us from
it when God's time has come. Don't steal tomorrow out of God's hands. Give
God time to speak to you and reveal His will. He is never too late; learn to
wait. ━Selected。
"He never
comes too late; He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in
vain; until He cometh━REST."
Do not run
impetuously before the Lord; learn to wait His time: the minute━hand as well as the hour━hand must point
the exact moment for action.
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三月二十二日
“過了四十年，在西乃山的曠野，有一位天使，從荊棘火焰中，向摩西顯現…說:我下來要救他們，你來，我要差你往埃及去”
(徒七：30，31，34)
接受一個重大使命之前，需要何等長的等候和預備！神若延遲，並不是遺忘。祂是在預備祂的器皿，給他們相當的訓練和教育；到了神所指定的時侯，神要興起他們來背負他們的工作。就是拿撒勒人耶穌，也必須有三十年的準備，直等祂的智慧和身量，並神和人喜愛祂的心長完全了，才開始祂的工作。━喬懷德
神從不性急，祂肯花長時期去預備祂要重用的器皿。祂從不以為預備的日子太長了，或是太無聊了。
在苦難中最難受的成份常是時間。短而急的痛苦易受，長而慢的痛苦難當。有時侯我們的痛苦纏綿數年；一天一天過去，並沒有得着輕減；那時侯我們的力量就會失去；如果沒有神的恩典，我們定規會沉入絕境。約瑟的試煉是一個長時期的，到了時侯，他成了何等樣人！神常藉着火把祂的功課，煎熬在我們的最深處。“祂必坐下如煉淨銀子的”(瑪三：3)，祂知道該煉多少時侯；像銀匠一般，祂一看見銀子煉得能照見祂的形像時，便立即把火停止。現在我們雖然看不見神的美意，也看不見將來榮耀的結果；但是信心知道神是不會錯誤的，祂叫“萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處”(羅八：28)。讓我們像約瑟一樣，在神苦難的學校中用心學習一切的功課，少盼望立時的拯救。每一課功課都是必需的；我們學會了，拯救自然會來的；那時侯我們就要看見：如果沒有在試煉中受過教育，我們決不能站在更大的工廠上擔任更重要的工作。所以，親愛的，神現在訓練我們，是為着我們的將來━將來更大的事奉和更多的祝福；━如果我們有資格可以坐寶座了，神的拯救就來了，那時侯沒有東西再能攔阻我們。但願我們不去奪神手中的明天。給神充份的時間來栽培我們。祂決不會來得太遲的；學習耐心等候罷。━選
祂決不會來得太遲，祂在作最好的安排；不要空尋煩惱，安心等候祂的來到。
不要很性急地跑在神前面；學習等候祂的時間：鐘錶上的分針和時針走起來都有一定的規律。
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March
23
“Out of the spoils won in
battle did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.” (1
Chron. 26:27)
Physical force is stored in the bowels of the earth, in the coal mines,
which came from the fiery heat that burned up great forests in ancient ages;
and so spiritual force is stored in the depths of our being, through the very
pain which we cannot understand.
Some day we shall
find that the spoils we have won from our trials were just preparing us to
become true "Great Hearts" in the Pilgrim's Progress, and to lead
our fellow pilgrims triumphantly through trial to the city of the King.
But let us never
forget that the source of helping other people must be victorious suffering.
The whining, murmuring pang never does anybody any good.
Paul did not carry
a cemetery with him, but a chorus of victorious praise; and the harder the
trial, the more he trusted and rejoiced, shouting from the very altar of
sacrifice. He said, "Yea, and if I be offered upon the service and
sacrifice of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all." Lord, help me
this day to draw strength from all that comes to me! ━Days of Heaven upon Earth.
"He placed
me in a little cage,
Away from
gardens fair;
But I must sing
the sweetest songs
Because He
placed me there.
Not beat my
wings against the cage
If it's my
Maker's will,
But raise my
voice to heaven's gate
And sing the
louder still!"
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三月二十三日
“他們將爭戰時所奪的財物分別為聖，以備修造耶和華的殿。” (代上二十六：27)
物質的力量是含蓄在地裏煤層中的，煤是古代的植物受壓，受燒而成的；照樣，屬靈的力量是含蓄在我們裏面靈中的，靈越經過試煉和戰爭，越加增力量。但是這種試煉和戰爭的痛苦，是我們現在所不能明白的。
有一天我們要看見：我們在試煉和戰爭時所奪的財物，能叫我們幫助及引領別人，鼓勵他們經過試煉和戰爭而進入天城。
可是，我們決不能忘記：幫助別人的條件，乃是自己先在苦難中得勝。在苦難中怨天尤人，決不能給別人甚麼益處。
保羅帶到各處的，並不是他的墳墓，乃是他得勝的讚美；他的試煉越難，他的信靠和歡呼也越多。他說：“我若被澆奠在你們信心的祭物上，也是喜樂，並且與你們眾人一同喜樂”(腓二：17直譯)。主，求祢幫助我們從一切臨到我們的事上得到力量！在試煉和戰爭中發出讚美來叫祢得着快樂！叫同走天路者得着鼓勵！━譯自地上的天上生活
祂把我放進籠中，
離開了園中的樹木青蔥；
但我仍要唱出最美的歌頌，
因為是祂把我放進籠中。
這是造物主的旨意，
我決不掙扎卻安定從容，
還要引聲高歌，
使歌聲直達天城。
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March
24
“And Jacob said, O God of
my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy
kindred, and I will deal well with thee: Deliver me, I pray thee.”
(Gen. 32:9, 11)
There are many healthy symptoms in that prayer. In some respects
it may serve as a mould into which our own spirits may pour themselves, when
melted in the fiery furnace of sorrow.
He began by
quoting God's promise: "Thou saidst." He
did so twice (9 and 12). Ah, he has got God in his power then! God puts
Himself within our reach in His promises; and when we can say to Him,
"Thou saidst," He cannot say nay. He must
do as He has said. If Herod was so particular for his oath's sake, what will
not our God be? Be sure in prayer, to get your feet well on a promise; it
will give you purchase enough to force open the gates of heaven, and to take
it by force. ━Practical Portions
for the Prayer━life.
Jesus desires that
we shall be definite in our requests, and that we
shall ask for some special thing. "What will ye that I shall do unto
you?" is the question that He asks of every one who in affliction and
trial comes to Him. Make your requests with definite earnestness if you would
have definite answers. Aimlessness in prayer accounts for so many seemingly
unanswered prayers. Be definite in your petition. Fill out your check for
something definite, and it will be cashed at the bank of Heaven when
presented in Jesus' Name. Dare to be definite with God. ━Selected.
Miss Havergal has said: "Every year, I might almost say
every day, that I live, I seem to see more clearly how all the rest and
gladness and power of our Christian life hinges on one thing; and that is,
taking God at His word, believing that He really means exactly what He says,
and accepting the very words in which He reveals His goodness and grace,
without substituting others or altering the precise modes and tenses which He
has seen fit to use."
Bring Christ's
Word━Christ's promise, and Christ's sacrifice━His blood, with thee, and not one of Heaven's blessings can be
denied thee. ━Adam Clarke.
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三月二十四日
“雅各說，耶和華，我祖亞伯拉罕的神，我父親以撒的神啊，祢曾對我說，回你本地本族去，我要厚待你…求祢救我。” (創三十二：9，12)
在這個禱告中有好幾點可以做我們的幫助，使我們在憂傷的火窰中知道如何向神傾心吐意。
雅各開場就把神的應許拿出來提醒神：“祢…曾說”。他這樣說了兩次(九節，十二節)。啊，他抓住了神！原來神的應許就是神給我們的把柄，我們能藉着這個去抓住祂；甚麼時侯我們能對祂說：“祢曾說”，祂決不能說不。祂必須照祂所說的去做。希律王尚且能守信，何況我們的神呢？所以我們禱告的時侯，應當把我們的腳站穩在祂的應許上；這樣，天上的門也只得為你敞開了，那時你可以奮力去取你所求的。━譯自實用禱告生活
主耶穌要我們有專一的禱告。每一個因痛苦，試煉，而來就祂的人，祂都問他們說：“要我為你作甚麼”？(可十：51)如果你盼望有清楚的答應，就得有清楚的禱告。沒有目的的禱告，是沒有答應的。所以你的禱告應當專一。在你禱告的支票上寫明指定的數目，天上的銀行看見了主耶穌的名字，就要付你指定的現款。━選
海弗格爾(Havergal)女士說：“每年，每天，我活着，真看見基督徒所有的安息，喜樂，能力，都因着一件事情：就是以神的話為算數━相信祂怎樣說，就必怎樣做。我們該照祂所用的字眼去接受，切勿更改或變換祂所用的語氣和時候”。
只要把基督的話語━基督的應許，和基督的寶血拿出來，天上的祝福就沒有一樣能不給你了。━莫拉克
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March
25
“But without
faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him.
” (Heb.
11:6)
The faith for desperate days.
The Bible is full
of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them,
its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through
them.
The desperate days
are the stepping━stones in the path
of light. They seem to have been God's opportunity and man's school of
wisdom.
There is a story
of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of
deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The "wit's
end" of desperation was the beginning of God's power. Recall the promise
of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as
good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its
deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark
standing mid━stream. Study once
more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat,
and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over
the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the
darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph's garden
through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask
the apostles the story of their desperate days.
Desperation is better than despair.
Faith did not make
our desperate days. Its work is to sustain and solve them. The only
alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails.
There is no more
heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children. The
situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, "Our God whom we
serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will
deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not,
be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship
the golden image which thou hast set up." I like that, "but if
not!"
I have only space
to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its "Nevertheless."
"If it is possible…evertheless!" Deep
darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto
blood and darkness to the descent of hell━Nevertheless!
Nevertheless!!
Now get your hymn
book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. ━Rev. S. Chadwick.
"When
obstacles and trials seem
Like prison
walls to be,
I do the little
I can do
And leave the
rest to Thee.
"And when
there seems no chance, no change,
From grief can
set me free,
Hope finds its
strength in helplessness,
And calmly
waits for Thee."
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三月二十五日
“人非有信，不能的神的喜悅，因為到神面前來的人,必須信有神，且信祂賞賜那尋求祂的人。” (來十一：6)
信心在危急中更能發揮它的力量。
聖經中充滿着危難的日子。它的故事由危難的日子所構成的，它的詩篇,是在危難日子中獲得的靈感，它的預言也與此有關，它的啟示也以此為透露的媒介。
危難的日子是通往光明之路的踏腳石；是神的機會，也是人類智慧的訓練所。詩篇第一百零七篇歌頌耶和華的慈愛，此外在每個救贖的故事中，危急存亡之秋，往往是神的好機會。人的才智窮竭，絕望無援的時候，是神的能力開始發揮。記得嗎?神曾應許━對從未生過孩子而老得形同朽木的夫婦，將可獲有後裔，並且多如天上的星，又如海邊的沙。你可翻開聖經再讀一讀以色列人在紅海得救的故事，還有以色列人抬着約櫃，從約但河中涉水而過的故事。還有，亞撒，約沙法和希西家被苦難逼迫，不知如何是好的時候，他們是怎樣祈禱的。再溫習一下尼希米，但以理，何西阿和哈巴谷的歷史。再以敬畏的心默默立於“客西馬尼”的幽暗中，到約瑟家的墳墓旁，回想那些可怕的日子，去拜訪最初創立教會的見證人，去探問使徒在危難日子中所經歷的故事。
危急勝於灰心。
信心不會使危急變成絕望。信心的任務是支持你去解決危難，在危難之際，信心的反面就是灰心，信心維持不變,就能得勝。
在危難恐怕沒有比那三個希伯來子民所表現更偉大。他們的處境雖然危急萬分，但他們仍能勇敢地回答道:“我們事奉的神，必能把我們救出這烈焰的火窰；祂更能把我們從暴君的手中救出來，但即使不是如此，暴君你也該知道，我們決不事奉你的神，也不敬拜你所立的偶像”。(參閱但以理書第三章)
“但即使不是如此”，這句話何等令人欽佩。
我想把餘剩的篇幅，來說起耶穌在客西馬尼園中的禱告。請深切地體味其中“然而”二字，“倘若可行，求祢叫這杯離開我，然而不要照我的意思，只要照祢的意思! ”深沉的黑暗已籠罩着主的靈魂。信靠神，就要受流血的痛苦，淪入死亡的深淵，━然而!
現在拿起你們的歌本子，唱你們所最喜愛的，那些讚美危急中信心的詩吧：━蔡特威克
障礙與苦難，
像囹圄與牢獄，
我只盡我的本分，
其餘讓神去完成。
脫離悲痛的機會與變化，
久待不來，似已消失，
危急中終有希望的力量，
靜靜等待神賜恩澤。
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March 26
“Look
from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and
westward: for all the land which thou seest, to
thee will I give it.
” (Gen. 13:14,15)
No instinct can be put in you by the Holy Ghost but He purposes
to fulfill. Let your faith then rise and soar away and claim all the land you
can discover. ━S. A. Keen.
All you can
apprehend in the vision of faith is your own. Look as far as you can, for it
is all yours. All that you long to be as a Christian, all that you long to do
for God, are within the possibilities of faith. Then come, still closer, and
with your Bible before you, and your soul open to all the influences of the
Spirit, let your whole being receive the baptism of His presence; and as He
opens your understanding to see all His fulness,
believe He has it all for you. Accept for yourself all the promises of His
word, all the desires He awakens within you, all the possibilities of what
you may be as a follower of Jesus. All the land you see is given to you.
The actual
provisions of His grace come from the inner vision. He who puts the instinct
in the bosom of yonder bird to cross the continent in search of summer
sunshine in the Southern clime is too good to deceive it, and just as surely
as He has put the instinct in its breast, so has He also put the balmy
breezes and the vernal sunshine yonder to meet it when it arrives.
He who breathes into
our hearts the heavenly hope, will not deceive or fail us when we press
forward to its realization. ━Selected.
"And they
found as he had said unto them." (Luke 22:13)
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三月二十六日
“羅得離別亞伯蘭以後，耶和華對亞伯蘭說，從你所有的地方，你舉目向東西南北觀看，凡你所看見的一切，我都要賜給你和你的後裔，直到永遠。” (創十三：14-15)
除非聖靈有成全的目的，否則不會給你任何啟示。得到啟示以後，你要讓信心高飛遠揚，凡你所能發現的一切土地，都可歸屬於你。━凱恩
在信心的祝福中所能領會的一切，都是為你所有。你要盡可能的往遠看，因為你所看見的一切，都是你的。你以基督徒身份所盼望的一切，以及你希望為神效勞的一切，都包括在信心的可能範圍之內。來吧，靠近一點，捧着你的聖經，為聖靈的一切感召，開啟你的心扉，讓你全身全靈，接受祂降臨的洗禮，當祂啟發你的智慧，使你看到祂的豐足時，你要相信，祂所有的一切都是為了你。你當接受祂所應許的一切諾言，接受祂提醒你的一切願望，接受耶穌信徒所能成就的一切機會。凡你目光所及的一切土地，都是賜給你的。
祂以恩寵所賜的真正糧食，來自內心的領悟。祂給遠方的鳥一個啟示，要牠飛過大陸到南方去尋見夏季的陽光，決不會欺騙牠，祂一方面使鳥領悟這個啟示，祂還給芳香的微風，與和暖的陽光同樣確切的啟示，要它們在遙遠的南方迎接那鳥的飛臨。
祂在我們心中注入天國的希望，當我們向目標奮勇前進的時候，祂決不會欺騙我們或使我們失望。━選
“他們去了，所遇見的，正如耶穌所說的。”(路二十二：13)
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March
27
“I do not count the
sufferings of our present life worthy of mention when compared with the glory
that is to be revealed and bestowed upon us. ” (Rom. 8:18) (20th Century Trans.)
A remarkable incident occurred recently at a wedding in England. A young man of
large wealth and high social position, who had been blinded by an accident
when he was ten years old, and who won University honors in spite of his
blindness, had won a beautiful bride, though he had never looked upon her
face. A little while before his marriage, he submitted to a course of
treatment by experts, and the climax came on the day of his wedding.
The day came, and
the presents, and guests. There were present cabinet ministers and generals
arid bishops and learned men and women. The bridegroom, dressed for the
wedding, his eyes still shrouded in linen, drove to the church with his
father, and the famous oculist met them in the vestry.
The bride, entered
the church on the arm of her white━haired father. So
moved was she that she could hardly speak. Was her lover at last to see her
face that others admired, but which he knew only through his delicate finger
tips?
As she neared the
altar, while the soft strains of the wedding march floated through the
church, her eyes fell on a strange group.
The father stood
there with his son. Before the latter was the great oculist in the act of
cutting away the last bandage. The bridegroom took a step forward, with the
spasmodic uncertainty of one who cannot believe that he is awake. A beam of
rose━colored light from a pane in the chancel window
fell across his face, but he did not seem to see it.
Did he see anything?
Yes! Recovering in an instant his steadiness of mien, and with a dignity and
joy never before seen in his face, he went forward to meet his bride. They
looked into each other's eyes, and one would have thought that his eyes would
never wander from her face.
"At
last!" she said. "At last!" he echoed solemnly, bowing his
head. That was a scene of great dramatic power, and no doubt of great joy,
and is but a mere suggestion of what will actually take place in Heaven when
the Christian who has been walking through this world of trial and sorrow,
shall see Him face to face. ━Selceted.
"Just a━wearying for you,
Jesus, Lord,
beloved and true;
Wishing for
you, wondering when
You'll be
coming back again,
Under all I say
and do,
Just a━wearying for you.
"Some glad
day, all watching past,
You will come
for me at last;
Then I'll see
you, hear your voice,
Be with you,
with you rejoice;
How the sweet
hope thrills me through,
Sets me
wearying for you."
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三月二十七日
“我想現在的苦楚，若比起將來要顯於我們的榮耀，就不足介意了。” （羅八：18）
最近在英國舉行的一次婚禮中，發生了奇跡。新郎是富有的青年，社會地位很高，不幸在十歲的時候，因遇意外而雙目失明，他雖然瞎了眼，仍能讀得大學的學位，並且得到一個美麗的新娘，雖然從未看見過她的面容。結婚前不久，他由眼科專家施行手術。故事的最高峰，就發生在舉行婚禮的那天。
那天，賓客和禮物紛紛而到。有內閣大臣、將軍、主教和學術界的仕女們。新郎穿了禮服，眼睛上仍蒙着紗布和他父親一同乘車來到教堂，那位有名的眼科專家也早等在牧師的法衣室裏了。
新娘挽着白髮蒼蒼的老父的手臂，進入教堂。她的情緒激動萬分，不能開口。在今天她的愛人究竟能否恢復視覺，終將看見她的容貌？她的美麗素為別人所豔羨，而他在過去，只能以敏銳的指尖去摸索的。當她走近聖壇的時候，婚禮進行曲的柔和音調，瀰漫了整個教堂，她的目光注視着新郎和伴着他的眼科醫生。
父與子都站在那裏，新郎面前，站着那位眼科專家，正在割斷最後一條繃帶。新郎向前跨了一步，好像大夢初醒，仍有些迷茫不知所措的樣子。一道玫瑰色的光線穿過教堂的有色玻璃，照到他臉上，他好像仍舊不敢相信已經看見了這道亮光。
究竟看見了沒有呢？看見了！瞬刻間恢復了穩定的姿態，帶着空前的莊嚴和喜悅，走向前去會見他的新娘。他們眼對眼彼此凝視，旁觀者不禁覺得，他的目光似乎永不會移開她的臉了。
女的說：“終於看見了！”男的低下頭去莊重地應聲道：“終於看見了！”這是十分感人的一幕，也是極大的喜悅。它暗示我們，這將是發生於天堂的實際情景，當基督徒經歷了人世的苦難和悲哀，終將同樣地和神面對着面彼此相見。━選
親愛的真主耶穌，
我永遠渴念祢，
不知何年何日，祢再臨人世，
我是一心在翹企。
我所言所行，
都是為了渴望着祢。
那歡樂的日子到來的時候，
使望待成為過去，
我會看見祢，聽到祢的聲音，
分享祢的歡欣，
這希望給我多少鼓勵，
我正企盼殷勤。
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March
28
“And it shall come to
pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of
the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that
the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from
above; and they shall stand upon a heap. ”
(Joshua 3:13)
Brave Levites! Who can help admiring them, to carry the Ark right into the
stream; for the waters were not divided till their feet dipped in the water (ver. 15). God had not promised aught else. God honors
faith. "Obstinate faith," that the PROMISE sees and "looks to
that alone." You can fancy how the people would watch these holy men march
on, and some of the bystanders would be saying, "You would not catch me
running that risk! Why, man, the ark will be carried away!" Not so;
"the priests stood firm on dry ground." We must not overlook the
fact that faith on our part helps God to carry out His plans. "Come up
to the help of the Lord."
The Ark had staves for
the shoulders. Even the Ark did not move of
itself; it was carried. When God is the architect, men are the masons and
laborers. Faith assists God. It can stop the mouth of lions and quench the
violence of fire. It yet honors God, and God honors it. Oh, for this faith
that will go on, leaving God to fulfill His promise when He sees fit! Fellow
Levites, let us shoulder our load, and do not let us look as if we were
carrying God's coffin. It is the Ark of the living
God! Sing as you march towards the flood! ━Thomas Champness.
One of the special
marks of the Holy Ghost in the Apostolic Church was the spirit of
boldness. One of the most essential qualities of the faith that is to attempt
great things for God, and expect great things from God, is holy audacity.
Where we are dealing with a supernatural Being, and taking from Him things
that are humanly impossible, it is easier to take much than little; it is
easier to stand in a place of audacious trust than in a place of cautious,
timid clinging to the shore.
Like wise seamen
in the life of faith, let us launch out into the deep, and find that all
things are possible with God, and all things are possible unto him that
believeth.
Let us, today,
attempt great things for God; take His faith and believe for them and His
strength to accomplish them. ━Days of Heaven
upon Earth.
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三月二十八日
“等到抬普天下主耶和華約櫃的祭司把腳站在約但河水裏，約但河的水就是從上往下流的水，必然斷絕立起成壘。” (書三：13)
勇敢的利未人！誰能不佩服他們的膽量，抬了約櫃伸腳到還未分開的水中去。神也一無其他的勉勵和應許，只等待看他們的信心。神重視信心，尤其是不憑理由的信心，你可以推想當初許多百姓看見這些利未人抬了約櫃下水，他們一定發急地說：“要是我，決不這樣作無謂的犧牲！冒這樣大的險！可惜，他們和約櫃就要被約但河的急流沖去了！”可是，並不這樣；“抬耶和華約櫃的祭司在約但河中的乾地上站定”(十七節)。我們不要小看信心，我們的信心能幫助神成功他的計劃。“……來幫助耶和華”(士五：23)。
約櫃有四根長杠，以便放到肩上扛抬，它本身不必行動，要有人去抬它。神有如建築師，而人只是承造的匠人。信心能協助神，信心能叫神命令封住獅子的口，能叫神使火失其威勢。信心尊重神，神也尊重信心。信心是永續的，讓神認為適當的時候，實現神的應許。
今天在恩典下同作利未人的哪，讓我們憑着無理由的信心，抬起神的應許來，不要想我們抬的是神的棺材。這是永活之神的約櫃呀！讓我們一面唱歌，一面下水罷！━強蔔奈斯
勇敢的精神是使徒時代教會的特點。如果我們想為神做大事業，想從神得到大使命，我們必須有勇敢的信心。如果我們與超然的神接觸，向祂要人力所不能得到的東西，我告訴你：拿得多比拿得少還容易；大膽地站在應許上比膽怯地攀住海岸來得容易。
在信心的生活中，讓我們像聰明的水手一樣，把船向深海駛去，你會發現在神凡事都能；在信的人也凡事都能。
讓我們今天來替神作大事業；相信祂的能力是能完成一切的。━譯自在地上的天上生活
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March 29
“Consider
the lilies, how they grow. ” (Matt. 6:28)
I need oil," said an ancient monk; so he planted an olive
sapling. "Lord," he prayed, "it needs rain that its tender
roots may drink and swell. Send gentle showers." And the Lord sent
gentle showers. "Lord," prayed the monk, "my tree needs sun.
Send sun, I pray Thee." And the sun shone, gilding the dripping clouds.
"Now frost, my Lord, to brace its tissues," cried the monk. And
behold, the little tree stood sparkling with frost, but at evening it died.
Then the monk
sought the cell of a brother monk, and told his strange experience. "I,
too, planted a little tree," he said, "and see! it
thrives well. But I entrust my tree to its God. He who made it knows better
what it needs than a man like me. I laid no condition. I fixed not ways or
means. 'Lord, send what it needs,' I prayed, 'storm or sunshine, wind, rain,
or frost. Thou hast made it and Thou dost know.'"
Yes, leave it
with Him,
The lilies all
do,
And they grow━
They grow in
the rain,
And they grow
in the dew━
Yes, they grow:
They grow in
the darkness, all hid in the night━
They grow in
the sunshine, revealed by the light━
Still they
grow.
Yes, leave it
with Him
'Tis more dear to His heart,
You will know,
Than the lilies
that bloom,
Or the flowers
that start
'Neath the snow:
Whatever you
need, if you seek it in prayer,
You can leave
it with Him━for you are His
care.
You, you know.
━Selected.
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三月二十九日
“你想野地裏的百合花，怎麼長起來。”
(太六：28)
古時有一個修道士，種了一棵橄欖樹。他禱告說：“神啊，它需要水分，好叫它柔嫩的根得吸收而長髮。求祢降下滋潤的甘霖來。”神就降雨下來。他又禱告說：“神啊，我的樹需要日光，我求祢給它日光”。於是雲散雨止，神就給它日光。他再禱告說：“神啊，現在它需要霜來堅固它的組織。”看哪，那株幼小的植物上果然罩上了一層薄霜。但是到了傍晚，樹卻死了。
於是他就去見另一個修道士，告訴他自己奇異的經歷。那修道士回答說：“我也種了一棵小樹。看哪！現在長得多麼茂盛。我沒有為我的樹操一點心，只把它交給它的神。造它的神知道它的需要，遠勝過像我這樣無知的人。所以我並不向神提出條件，建議，方法。我禱告說：‘神啊，祢把它所需要的給它，無論是風，是雨，是霜，是雪，是日光，是甚麼…祢既造它，你一定知道它，也一定會供給它。’”
是的，像百合花那樣，
一切讓神去安排，
它們自然生長成材，
在雨露陰晴之中，
照常發育，葉茂花盛，
無庸你顧慮喋喋。
是的，一切讓神去安排，
祂愛你，為你的設想周全，
更甚於百合花花落花開；
在禱告中表示了願望，
一切讓神去安排，
靠祂為你栽培。
━選
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March 30
“Behold, all ye that
kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light
of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of
mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. ”
(Isa. 50:11)
What a solemn warning to those who walk in darkness and yet who
try to help themselves out into the light. They are represented as kindling a
fire, and compassing themselves with sparks. What does this mean?
Why, it means that
when we are in darkness the temptation is to find a way without trusting in
the Lord and relying upon Him. Instead of letting Him help us out, we try to
help ourselves out. We seek the light of nature, and get the advice of our
friends. We try the conclusions of our reason, and might almost be tempted to
accept a way of deliverance which would not be of God at all.
All these are
fires of our own kindling; rushlights that will
surely lead us onto the shoals. And God will let us walk in the light of
those sparks, but the end will be sorrow.
Beloved, do not
try to get out of a dark place, except, in God's time and in God's way. The
time of trouble is meant to teach you lessons that you sorely need.
Premature
deliverance may frustrate God's work of grace in your life. Just commit the
whole situation to Him. Be willing to abide in darkness so long as you have
His presence. Remember that it is better to walk in the dark with God than to
walk alone in the light. ━The Still Small
Voice.
Cease meddling
with God's plans and will. You touch anything of His, and you mar the work.
You may move the hands of a clock to suit you, but you do not change the
time; so you may hurry the unfolding of God's will, but you harm and do not
help the work. You can open a rosebud but you spoil the flower. Leave all to
Him. Hands down. Thy will, not mine. ━Stephen Merritt.
HIS WAY
God bade me go
when I would stay
('Twas cool within the wood);
I did not know
the reason why.
I heard a
boulder crashing by
Across the path
where I stood.
He bade me stay
when I would go;
"Thy will
be done," I said.
They found one
day at early dawn,
Across the way
I would have gone,
A serpent with
a mangled head.
No more I ask
the reason why,
Although I may
not see
The path ahead,
His way I go;
For though I
know not, He doth know,
And He will
choose safe paths for me.
━The Sunday
School Times.
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三月三十日
“凡你們點火用火把圍繞自己的，可以行在你們的火焰裏，並你們所點的火把中。這是我手所定的；你們必躺在悲慘之中。” (賽五十：11)
這是一個嚴重的警告，對付那行在黑暗中而想設法自救的人們的。神說他們好像自己點火，用火把圍繞自己。這是甚麼意思呢？
這意思說：當我們在黑暗中遭遇試煉的時侯，我們總想自謀出路，不肯信神靠神。我們本該讓祂施行拯救，可是我們頂喜歡自己籌劃。我們尋求理由的結論，親友的勸告。結果，就會採納一個不出於神的方法。這些都是我們自己點的火焰和火把，凡匆促的引導，必定會把我們引導錯誤入了歧途，若想這種光亮前進，結果卻是悲慘。
所以，親愛的，不要想用自己的謀算逃出黑暗，我們該等候神的時間和神的方法。受試煉，試煉是學習我們所需要的功課。
不成熟的拯救會阻撓神在我們身上的工作。我們應該把一切的難處交給神。只要有祂的同在，就該甘心等在黑暗中。請記得在黑暗中與神同在，強如在光明中單獨行走。━譯自微小的聲音
我們不該干預神的計劃和旨意。甚麼時候我們摸一摸祂的事情，我們立刻會弄壞祂的工作。我們盡可以把鍾撥到我們所要的時間，但是我們不能改變實在的時間；我們盡可以擘開玫瑰的花蕾，可是我們擘壞了那花。照樣，我們盡可以自己謀算來躲避神所要我們經過的遭遇，但是於事無補。所以我們該將一切完全交給祂。讓我們住手罷。讓我們對神說：“只要照祢的旨意，不要照我的旨意。”━麥力德
祂的道路
山林裏寒冷陰冥，
我想停步，神卻要我前行，
我不明白為了甚麼原因。
忽在意欲停步的地方，
傳出了岩石崩塌的巨聲。
我要前進，神吩咐我停止，
我說：“遵照祢的意旨”。
一大清晨有人發現，
在我要去的路上，
躺着斫死的毒蟒。
我或許不明究竟，
但我不再計問，甚麼緣故，
祂指點我的路徑，我就走去，
我雖無知，卻有數，
總為我…選擇全安道路。
━主日學報
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March 31
“The wind was contrary.” (Matt.
14:24)
Rude and blustering the winds of March often are. Do they not
typify the tempestuous seasons of my life? But, indeed, I ought to be glad
that I make acquaintance with these seasons. Better it is that the rains
descend and the floods come than that I should stay perpetually in the Lotus
Land where it seems always afternoon, or in that deep meadowed
Valley of Avilion where never wind blows loudly.
Storms of temptation appear cruel, but do they not give intenser
earnestness to prayer? Do they not compel me to seize the promises with a
tighter hand grip? Do they not leave me with a character refined?
Storms of
bereavement are keen; but, then, they are one of the Father's ways of driving
me to Himself, that in the secret of His presence His voice may speak to my
heart, soft and low. There is a glory of the Master which can be seen only
when the wind is contrary and the ship tossed with waves.
"Jesus Christ
is no security against storms, but He is perfect security in storms. He has
never promised you an easy passage, only a safe landing."
Oh, set your
sail to the heavenly gale,
And then, no
matter what winds prevail,
No reef can
wreck you, no calm delay;
No mist shall
hinder, no storm shall stay;
Though far you
wander and long you roam
Through salt
sea sprays and o'er white sea foam,
No wind that
can blow but shall speed you Home.
━Annie Johnson Flint.
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三月三十一日
“那時船在水中，因風不順，被浪搖撼。”
（太十四：24）
有的季節，往往刮着狂風。豈不象徵着人生的坎坷？但能體驗這種季節，我應該覺得欣幸。如果永遠留在希臘神話中的百合花鄉，那裏的氣候終年如一日，或永遠留在綠草如茵的極樂島，那裏總是吹着和煦的輕風，與其如此，我寧願有大雨的傾注，風潮的來臨。試煉的風雨雖是狂暴，但我因此而有了更虔誠的祈禱，不僅使我把神的應許抓得更緊，而且使我的人格能提煉得更為純潔。
風雨的磨難是尖銳的，但這是神驅馳我們接近祂的方法之一，在祂冥冥存在之中，用輕柔低沉的聲音，向我們說話，透入我們心之深處。主的榮耀，也只有在逆風及船舶為巨浪所拋擲的時候，才能顯現。
基督不能保證暴風雨之不來，但祂能保證你在暴雨中的絕對安全。祂沒有應許你旅程的平靜無事，祂只應許你能安全到達目的地。
趁着天賜的風，揚帆出航，
然後不管它的順逆強弱，
只向前進，不怕任何阻撓，
沒有暗礁或霧能使你遭殃。
風雨不會如此永遠猖狂，
也許要漂蕩較長的時間，
繞道較遠，終必送你回家，
結束碧白浪間的彷徨。
━富林德
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