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(轉簡)
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April
1
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四月一日
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“Though he slay
me, yet will I trust him.”
(Job 13:15)
“For I know whom I have
believed.” (2 Tim.
1:12)
"I will not doubt, though all
my prayers return
Unanswered from the still, white
realm above;
I will believe it is an all-wise
love
Which has refused these things for
which I yearn;
And though at times I cannot keep
from grieving,
Yet the pure ardor of my fixed
believing
Undimmed shall burn.
"I will not doubt, though all
my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken
masts and sails;
I will believe the Hand which never
fails,
From seeming evil worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those
sails are tattered,
Still will I cry, while my best
hopes lie shattered:
'I trust in Thee.'
"I will not doubt, though
sorrows fall like rain,
And troubles swarm like bees about
a hive.
I will believe the heights for
which I strive
Are only reached by anguish and by
pain;
And though I groan and writhe
beneath my crosses.
I yet shall see through my severest
losses
The greater gain.
"I will not doubt. Well
anchored is this faith,
Like some staunch ship, my soul
braves every gale;
So strong its courage that it will
not quail
To breast the mighty unknown sea of
death.
Oh, may I cry, though body parts with
spirit,
'I do not doubt,' so listening
worlds may hear it,
With my last breath."
"In fierce storms," said an
old seaman, "we must do one thing; there is only one way: we must put
the ship in a certain position and keep her there."
This, Christian, is what you must do.
Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest
lies on you; and then you can do but one thing; there is only one way.
Reason cannot help you; past
experiences give you no light. Even prayer fetches no consolation. Only a
single course is left. You must put your soul in one position and keep it
there.
You must stay upon the Lord; and come
what may━winds, waves, cross-seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring
breakers━no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm, and hold fast your
confidence in God's faithfulness, His covenant engagement, His everlasting
love in Christ Jesus. ━Richard Fuller.
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“祂雖殺我，然而我還要信靠祂。”
（伯十三：15直譯）
“因為我知道我所信的是誰。”
（提後一：12直譯）
我決不懷疑，雖然我的船隊
在海上漂泊顛簸，帆檣破碎。
相信那從不失誤的神之手，
將轉災禍為福祉充沛，
在失望中，我仍高呼信靠神，
縱然惋惜着船的破碎狼狽。
我決不懷疑，雖然祈求的一切
蒼天還沒有給我回音，
相信拒絕實現這些願望，
乃是出於全智者的哀矜，
有時雖不禁愁悶，
絲毫未損我至誠不變的信心。
我決不懷疑，悲哀雖如雨降潮漲，
困難群集，像蜜蜂圍聚蜂房。
相信要達成我爭取的崇高目標，
唯有傷痛和苦難，才能擔當，
雖在十字架下呻吟號呼，
將從慘痛失喪中獲得更大報償。
決不懷疑，我的信心碇泊穩妥，
如堅固巨艇，能受任何風浪，
絕不氣餒，有的是毅力與勇敢，
足以面對那禍患莫測的海洋。
縱然犧牲塵世生命，只要一息尚存，
“決不懷疑”，讓這呼聲播揚。
人生如渡洋海，不免遭遇風浪。一位老於航行者說道：“當浪高如山，風疾如火時，唯一的辦法，就是將船停在一個地方，讓它一直留在那裏。”
在基督徒的生命中也是如此。有時，像保羅一樣，“我們被風浪逼得甚急…太陽和星辰多日不願露，又有狂風大浪催逼，我們得救的指望就都絕了”。（徒二十七：18-20）在這樣的光景中，我們只能作一件事：將自己停在一個地方。
那時候，理由不能幫助我們；竭力掙扎，也不能產生效果；以往的經驗，不能給我們亮光；甚至禱告，也得不着安慰。我們只有一個方法，就是安息我們自己在一個地方，一直留在那裏。
我們只能安息在神的胸懷中；來的無論是狂風，暴雨，駭浪，怒濤，轟雷，閃電，濃霧，冰山…我們只要緊緊抓住舵柄━神的信實，誓約，和在基督耶穌裏不止息的愛━好了。━付勒
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April 2
“They looked…and behold, the glory of the
Lord appeared in the cloud.”
(Exod. 16:10)
Get into
the habit of looking for the silver lining of the cloud and when you have
found it, continue to look at it, rather than at the leaden gray in the
middle.
Do not yield to discouragement no
matter how sorely pressed or beset you may be. A discouraged soul is
helpless. He can neither resist the wiles of the enemy himself, while in this
state, nor can he prevail in prayer for others.
Flee from every symptom of this deadly
foe as you would flee from a viper. And be not slow in turning your back on
it, unless you want to bite the dust in bitter defeat.
Search out God's promises and say
aloud of each one: "This promise is mine." If you still experience
a feeling of doubt and discouragement, pour out your heart to God and ask Him
to rebuke the adversary who is so mercilessly nagging you.
The very instant you whole-heartedly
turn away from every symptom of distrust and discouragement, the blessed Holy
Spirit will quicken your faith and inbreathe Divine strength into your soul.
At first you may not be conscious of
this, still as you resolutely and uncompromisingly "snub" every
tendency toward doubt and depression that assails you, you will soon be made
aware that the powers of darkness are falling back.
Oh, if our eyes could only behold the
solid phalanx of strength, of power, that is ever behind every turning away
from the hosts of darkness, God-ward, what scant heed would be given to the effort
of the wily foe to distress, depress, discourage us!
All the marvelous attributes of the
Godhead are on the side of the weakest believer, who in the name of Christ,
and in simple, childlike trust, yields himself to God and turns to Him for
help and guidance. ━Selected.
On a day in the autumn, I saw a
prairie eagle mortally wounded by a rifle shot. His eye still gleamed like a
circle of light. Then he slowly turned his head, and gave one more searching
and longing look at the sky. He had often swept those starry spaces with his
wonderful wings. The beautiful sky was the home of his heart. It was the
eagle's domain. A thousand times he had exploited there his splendid
strength. In those far away heights he had played with the lightnings, and raced with the winds, and now, so far
away from home, the eagle lay dying, done to the death, because for once be forgot and flew too low. The soul is that eagle. This is
not its home. It must not lose the skyward look. We must keep faith, we must
keep hope, we must keep courage, we must keep
Christ. We would better creep away from the battlefield at once if we are not
going to be brave. There is no time for the soul to stampede. Keep the
skyward look, my soul; keep the skyward look!
"Keep looking up—
The waves that roar around thy
feet,
Jehovah-Jireh
will defeat
When looking up.
"Keep looking up—
Though darkness seems to wrap thy
soul;
The Light of Light shall fill thy
soul
When looking up.
"Keep looking up—
When worn, distracted with the
fight;
Your Captain gives you conquering
might
When you look up."
We can never see the sun rise by
looking into the west. ━Japanese Proverb.
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四月二日
“他們…觀看，不料，耶和華的榮光在雲中顯現。” （出十六：10）
黑雲當空時，當養成一個習慣：一直看它銀色的夾裏，不去看它黑色的面子。
事情無論怎樣糟，不可落到失望的地步。人失望簡直等於無望。因為一個失望的人，既不能抵抗仇敵的攻擊，又不能為人發出有效的代禱。
當逃避這樣可怕的仇敵━失望，━猶如逃避一條致命的毒蛇一般。不要在它面前慢慢地轉身，除非你願意一敗塗地。
在神前搜尋祂的應許。既得着了，就用指頭指着它說：“神，祢曾說過這個。這應許是給我的”。若是你仍感覺懷疑或失望，向神傾心吐意地求祂為你斥責欺侮你的仇敵。
一等到你全心離開不信和失望，聖靈立刻要復活你的信心，將屬天的能力吹入你裏面去。
起先你也許不覺得有甚麼動靜，可是你只要決心抵抗每一個偏於疑惑和失望的傾向，你就會看見黑暗的勢力敗退。
哦，巴不得我們的眼睛能看見在黑暗勢力後面的神的權能，我們就不會懼怕仇敵的狡猾，惡魔欲使我們落入悲傷，抑鬱，灰心，氣餒等的各種欺騙，將不值得一顧了。
神所具有偉大的權力，都是為了維護我們脆弱的心靈，只要奉基督的名，與純潔無邪的信心，依靠神，向神祈求和引導。━選
一天，我看見草場上躺着一隻重傷的老鷹。牠的眼睛仍在射出光來。牠慢慢地轉過牠的頭來，再望一望牠所渴幕的天空。牠以前常在那裏疾馳高飛。這美麗的天空是牠心目中的老家。牠曾千萬次在那裏表演牠的勇力。牠曾在高處與閃電同玩，與疾風競走；現在呢，離家這麼遠，只因一次不小心飛得太低，就在這裏等死。啊，讓我們拿老鷹來比我們的心：世界並不是我們的老家。雖然我們在世上受了創傷，但是我們的心還得向着天家。我們應該守住信心，守住盼望，守住勇氣，守住基督。如果我們沒有勇氣，我們還是早些離開戰場的好。我的魂哪，你當仰望天！
繼續向天盼望，
圍着你怒號的浪濤，
就會被耶和華一掃而光！
當你向天盼望。
繼續向天盼望，
雖然靈魂如被籠罩黑鄉，
但終於充滿了永恆之光，
當你向天盼望。
繼續向天盼望，
雖然到了疲憊志喪，
主會給你得勝的力量，
當你向天盼望。
眼望西方，我們永遠看不見日出。━日本諺語
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April 3
“Glorify ye the Lord in the fires.” (Isa. 24:15)
Mark the little word "in"! We are to honor Him in the
trial━in that which is an affliction indeed and though there have been
cases where God did not let His saints feel the fire, yet, ordinarily, fire
hurts.
But just here we
are to glorify Him by our perfect faith in His goodness and love that has
permitted all this to come upon us.
And more than
that, we are to believe that out of this is coming something more for His
praise than could have come but for this fiery trial.
We can only go
through some fires with a large faith; little faith will fail. We must have
the victory in the furnace. ━Margaret Bottome.
A man has as much
religion as he can show in times of trouble. The men who were cast into the
fiery furnace came out as they went in━except their bonds.
How often in some
furnace of affliction God strikes them off! Their bodies were unhurt━their skin not
even blistered. Their hair was unsinged, their
garments not scorched, and even the smell of fire had not passed upon them.
And that is the way Christians should come out of furnace trials━liberated from their
bonds, but untouched by the flames.
"Triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:15)
That is the real
triumph━triumphing over sickness, in it; triumphing over death, dying;
triumphing over adverse circumstances, in them. Oh, believe me, there is a
power that can make us victors in the strife. There are heights to be reached
where we can look down and over the way we have come, and sing our song of
triumph on this side of Heaven. We can make others regard us as rich, while
we are poor, and make many rich in our poverty. Our triumph is to be in it.
Christ's triumph was in His humiliation. Possibly our triumph, also, is to be
made manifest in what seems to others humiliation. ━Margaret Bottome.
Is there not
something captivating in the sight of a man or a woman burdened with many
tribulations and yet carrying a heart as sound as a bell? Is there not
something contagiously valorous in the vision of one who is greatly tempted,
but is more than conqueror? Is it not heartening to see some pilgrim who is
broken in body, but who retains the splendor of an unbroken patience? What a
witness all this offers to the enduement of His
grace! ━J. H. Jowett.
"When each
earthly prop gives under,
And life seems
a restless sea,
Are you then a
God-kept wonder,
Satisfied and
calm and free?"
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四月三日
“因你們要在火中榮耀耶和華。”
（賽二十四：15直譯）
注意這小字“在！”我們要在火中━試煉中（彼前四：12）━榮耀祂。雖然那裏是一個受苦的地方，我們要用信心來榮耀祂。我們相信祂是良善的，慈愛的，祂既准許“火煉的試驗臨到”我們，我們相信試煉過後，我們會有更多讚美和感謝的根據。
只有大信心才能通過火的試煉，小信必註定失敗，讓我們爭取烈火中的得勝！━濮登
在困難中的人才能表現他的信心堅決，被投入烈焰中的三個少年人（但以理的同伴），他們從火焰中出來的時候，和被投進去的時候只有一點不同━他們的捆綁已經解除了。
神使他們經過了爐火的試煉，結果毫無損傷━身體不傷，頭髮不焦，衣裳不變色，也沒有火燎氣味。前後不同的就是身上缺了捆綁，臉上添了榮光。難怪褻瀆神的尼布甲尼撒不得不屈服來讚美榮耀神了。今天基督徒從試煉的爐中出來的時候，也該這樣━脫了捆綁，添上榮光，絲毫不受火的影響。
“就仗着十字架誇勝。”（西二：15）
這是真正的得勝，從疾病中戰勝病魔，從奄奄一息中戰勝死亡，從逆境中戰勝。必需相信，在奮鬥中，有一種使我們勝利的力量。要從試煉之中去獲取勝利。基督在祂的屈辱中得到勝利。我們的勝利，或許也要從別人認為屈辱的境遇中去發現。━濮登
有許多人，肩頭上壓着沉重的擔子，心中仍滿了喜樂，豈非可奇嗎？有許多人在受到逼迫攻擊下，仍能得勝有餘，豈非可敬？有許多人身體破碎，仍保持着完好的信心，豈非可羨？他們對神的恩典，這些都是最美好的見證。━喬懷德
人間的支柱都在動搖，
生命如在烈火中煎熬，
你是否不愧為基督信徒，
鎮定，自在而心無牢騷？
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April 4
“Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may
see.”
(2 Kings 6:17)
This is the prayer we need to pray for ourselves and for one
another, "Lord, open our eyes that we may see"; for the world all
around us, as well as around the prophet, is full of God's horses and
chariots, waiting to carry us to places of glorious victory. And when our
eyes are thus opened, we shall see in all events of life, whether great or
small, whether joyful or sad, a "chariot" for our souls.
Everything that
comes to us becomes a chariot the moment we treat it as such; and, on the
other hand, even the smallest trial may be a Juggernaut car to crush us into misery
or despair if we consider it.
It lies with each
of us to choose which they shall be. It all depends, not upon what these
events are, but upon how we take them. If we lie down under them, and let
them roll over us and crush us, they become Juggernaut cars, but if we climb
up into them, as into a car of victory, and make them carry us triumphantly
onward and upward, they become the chariots of God. ━Hannah Whitall Smith.
The Lord cannot do
much with a crushed soul, hence the adversary's attempt to push the Lord's
people into despair and hopelessness over the condition of themselves, or of
the church. It has often been said that a dispirited army goes forth to
battle with the certainty of being beaten. We heard a missionary say recently
that she had been invalided home purely because her spirit had fainted, with
the consequence that her body sunk also. We need to understand more of these
attacks of the enemy upon our spirits and how to resist them. If the enemy
can dislodge us from our position, then he seeks to "wear us out"
(Daniel 7:25) by a prolonged
siege, so that at last we, out of sheer weakness, let go the cry of victory.
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四月四日
“以利沙禱告說，耶和華啊，求祢開這少年人的眼目，使他能看見。” （王下六：17）
這一個禱告，也是我們需要為己為人求神的，“耶和華啊，開我們的眼目，使我們能看見；”因為在我們四圍，和當日神人一樣，都是火車火馬，等待帶領我們進入榮耀的勝利。當我們的眼目開啟了以後，我們就能看見生活中所有的事情━無論大小，無論順逆━都是我們進入勝利的“火車”。
山一般大的難處，也可以作我們的“火車”，只消我們看它是我們的“火車”；反而言之芥菜子那樣的小事也可以作我們的“極軋鬧車”。（印度教中費熙奴偶像所乘之車謂之“極軋鬧車”。當車出行時，教徒躺身于地，任輪碾過傷命）。
這是我們各人自己定規的。這並不在事情的大小，乃在我們如何去看它。如果我們躺下來，任其碾過，頂小的難處也是我們的“極軋鬧車”；如果我們爬上去，乘在上面，天大的難事也是神的“火車”，帶領我們進入勝利的。━司密斯
神不能重用一個失望的人，因為仇敵的詭計就是盡力將神的子民推入絕望的境地去。常有人說：“垂頭喪氣的軍隊出去打仗，結果是穩敗的”。這句話一點不錯。今天我們需要知道仇敵怎樣在我們的裏面施行攻擊，我們應當怎樣去抵擋他。如果仇敵能把我們逐出陣地，他就能“折磨”我們（但七：25）叫我們全然失敗，失去勝利的呼聲。所以我們應當怎樣小心站牢我們的陣地啊！
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April
5
“Thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons.”
(2 Kings
4:4)
They were to be alone with God, for they were not dealing with
the laws of nature, nor human government, nor the church, nor the priesthood,
nor even with the great prophet of God, but they must needs be isolated from
all creatures, from all leaning circumstances, from all props of human
reason, and swung off, as it were, into the vast blue inter-stellar space,
hanging on God alone, in touch with the fountain of miracles.
Here is a part in
the programme of God's dealings, a secret chamber
of isolation in prayer and faith which every soul must enter that is very
fruitful.
There are times
and places where God will form a mysterious wall around us, and cut away all
props, and all the ordinary ways of doing things, and shut us up to something
Divine, which is utterly new and unexpected, something that old circumstances
do not fit into, where we do not know just what will happen, where God is
cutting the cloth of our lives on a new pattern, where He makes us look to
Himself.
Most religious
people live in a sort of treadmill life, where they can calculate almost
everything that will happen, but the souls that God leads out into immediate
and special dealings, He shuts in where all they know is that God has hold of
them, and is dealing with them, and their expectation is from Him alone.
Like this widow,
we must be detached from outward things and attached inwardly to the Lord
alone in order to see His wonders. ━Soul Food.
In the sorest
trials God often makes the sweetest discoveries of Himself. ━Gems.
"God
sometimes shuts the door and shuts us in,
That He may
speak, perchance through grief or pain,
And softly,
heart to heart, above the din,
May tell some
precious thought to us again."
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四月五日
“關上門，你和你兒子在裏面。”（王下四：4）
他們必須關上門，與世隔別，專一親近神；因為他們不是靠自然的定律，不是靠世人的方法，不是靠教會的幫助，不是靠先知的神跡；他們必須從可借助的人們，從可靠的環境，從可信的理由中出來，專一到密室中去親近神。
這裏就是神課程中的一段，每一個信徒在隔離的密室中操練禱告和信心是非常有效果的。
許多時侯，許多地方，神特地在我們四周圍一層神秘的牆來環繞我們，不讓我們和人的計謀和辦法接觸；在那裏神要我們依靠一個新而出乎常情的辦法；絕非舊環境所能適合，在沒有進入這個環境之先，亦非事先可以料想；換一句話說，就是在那裏神替我們裁一件新式的服裝，叫我們穿了像祂自己。
多數的信徒都過着刻板文章一般的生活，他們知道甚麼事情在甚麼時侯發生，該用甚麼方法對付；但是神抱有特別盼望的信徒，常被神圈在一個隔離的處境中，和一切常情向例斷絕，使他們知道只有神在維護他們，他們的希望也唯有仰望於神。
讓我們像這個寡婦一樣：外面與世隔離，裏面與神親近；這樣，我們就會看見神的神跡了。━譯自靈食
在最痛的試煉中，神常給你們的最甜。━珍寶
神有時關了門，使我們與世隔絕，
或許還要經過了悲愁與苦痛，
向我們傾吐胸臆。
此時已經外界的塵囂，
心心相印，給我們寶貴的資訊。
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April 6
“I will stand
upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will
say unto me.” (Hab. 2: 1)
There is no waiting on God for help, and there is no help from
God, without watchful expectation on our part. If we ever fail to receive
strength and defense from Him, it is because we are not on the outlook for
it. Many a proffered succour from heaven goes past
us, because we are not standing on our watch-tower to catch the far-off
indications of its approach, and to fling open the gates of our heart for its
entrance. He whose expectation does not lead him to be on the alert for its
coming will get but little. Watch for God in the events of your life.
The old homely
proverb says: "They that watch for Providence will never want a
providence to watch for," and you may turn it the other way and say,
"They that do not watch for providences will never have a providence to
watch for." Unless you put out your water-jars when it rains you will
catch no water.
We want to be more
business-like and use common sense with God in pleading promises. If you were
to go to one of the banks, and see a man go in and out and lay a piece of
paper on the table, and take it up again and nothing more━if he did that
several times a day, I think there would soon be orders to keep the man out.
Those men who come
to the bank in earnest present their checks, they wait until they receive
their gold, and then they go; but not without having transacted real
business.
They do not put
the paper down, speak about the excellent signature, and discuss the
excellent document; but they want their money for it, and they are not
content without it. These are the people who are always welcome at the bank,
and not triflers. Alas, a great many people play at praying. They do not
expect God to give them an answer, and thus they are mere triflers. Our
Heavenly Father would have us do real business with Him in our praying. ━C. H. Spurgeon.
"Thine expectation shall not be
cut off."
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四月六日
“我要站在守望所，立在望樓上觀看，看耶和華對我說甚麼話。” （哈二：1）
不等神的幫助，不得神的幫助。許多時侯我們從神那裏得不到所求的，都因為我們沒有等候祂的答應。許多從天來的援助只經過我們，而不臨到我們，都是因為我們沒有站在守望所遠遠看它臨近，開我們的心門來迎接它。所以一個人的期待，倘使不能警覺到神助之將臨，所得必屬稀少。在你生命的過程中，應隨時注意着神。
古諺有雲：“凡是等候天神的人，就無需天神守護”。反過來也可以說：“凡是不守候天神的人，就沒有天神守護他”。天下雨的時侯，你如果不把你的水缸拿出來，你還是得不到水。
人到銀行裏去支錢，決不會一會兒進去，一會兒出來，一會兒把支票放在櫃檯上，一會兒把它收回來━如果有人一天這樣作幾次的話，我想定規會有命令下來把這人趕出去。凡誠心到銀行裏來拿錢的人，都是把支票交出來，靜靜地在那裏等待，直到他們拿到了錢，然後出去的。
正常的人往銀行去取款，決不會把支票放下，反而空論簽字的筆法如何，紙張的優劣又如何。記着，人到銀行的目的是取款，取不到不甘休，這才是銀行歡迎的顧客，不是浪費時間去作無聊之事。啊，可惜今天有頂多的人把禱告當作兒戲。他們禱告了，不等神的答應，就收回了；再求，再收。
信徒們，讓我們學習在守望所的望樓上多守候神！━司布真
“你的指望…不至斷絕。”（箴二十三：18）
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April 7
“Their
strength is to sit still. ” (Isa.
30:7)
In order really to know God, inward stillness is absolutely
necessary. I remember when I first learned this. A time of great emergency had
risen in my life, when every part of my being seemed to throb with anxiety,
and when the necessity for immediate and vigorous action seemed overpowering;
and yet circumstances were such that I could do nothing, and the person who
could, would not stir.
For a little while
it seemed as if I must fly to pieces with the inward turmoil, when suddenly
the still small voice whispered in the depths of my soul, "Be still, and
know that I am God." The word was with power, and I hearkened. I
composed my body to perfect stillness, and I constrained my troubled spirit
into quietness, and looked up and waited; and then I did "know"
that it was God, God even in the very emergency and in my helplessness to
meet it; and I rested in Him. It was an experience that I would not have
missed for worlds; and I may add also, that out of this stillness seemed to
arise a power to deal with the emergency, that very soon brought it to a
successful issue. I learned then effectually that my "strength was to
sit still." ━Hannah Whitall Smith.
There is a perfect
passivity which is not indolence. It is a living stillness born of trust.
Quiet tension is not trust. It is simply compressed anxiety.
Not in the
tumult of the rending storm,
Not in the
earthquake or devouring flame;
But in the hush
that could all fear transform,
The still,
small whisper to the prophet came.
O Soul, keep
silence on the mount of God,
Though cares
and needs throb around thee like a sea;
From
supplications and desires unshod,
Be still, and
hear what God shall say to thee.
All fellowship
hath interludes of rest,
New strength
maturing in each poise of power;
The sweetest
Alleluias of the blest
Are silent, for
the space of half an hour.
O rest, in
utter quietude of soul,
Abandon words,
leave prayer and praise awhile;
Let thy whole
being, hushed in His control,
Learn the full
meaning of His voice and smile.
Not as an
athlete wrestling for a crown,
Not taking
Heaven by violence of will;
But with thy
Father as a child sit down,
And know the bliss
that follows His "Be Still!"
━Mary Rowles Jarvis.
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四月七日
“你們要安靜，要知道我是神。”
（詩四十六：10）
若要真認識神，內心的鎮靜是絕對必需的。我記得我當初怎樣學習這功課，那時正有一件大難處臨頭，我焦急得全身顫動，所有的血管都緊張，事情又需要立即對付；可是四周的環境又不容我移動絲毫，可以幫助我的人，又不願動作。
因着內心的紛亂，我的身體好象要四分五裂了，忽然一個微小的聲音在靈的深處向我說：“你要安靜，要知道我是神”。我接受了這真帶有能力的勸告，於是鎮定我的身體，約束我那攪亂的靈，使之安靜，把我的急難交給神，仰望等候祂；我覺得真有一股力量從鎮靜中出來應付難處。結果，事情平安過去，我自己在祂裏面得了安息。這是我最寶貝的經歷，因為從此我更認識了神。━司密斯
這種不動，並不是懶惰，乃是從信心產生的一種活的鎮靜。如果緊張而不露聲色，故作鎮靜，仍非信心的結果，不過是抑制住了焦慮而已，並非真正的鎮靜。
先知聽見天上啟示的聲音，
並非在狂風暴雨的時辰，
也非地震或火災之時，
神在萬籟無聲降臨。
靈魂哪，在神的座前要安詳，
你的憂困雖如浪潮起伏，
在祈求與願望中保持鎮靜，
盼聽神啟示你萬全之方。
集中用力，需有間歇的休憩
每次靜止，生出新的能力，
最美麗的讚頌樂曲，
其間也有短時間的默息。
休息吧，休息在肅靜的靈裏，
暫時把語言，思慮和行動擱起，
讓整個身心，寂寞在神的控制中，
領會祂一言一笑的全部意義。
不要像運動員爭奪錦標，
要登天堂，不可憑意志的強暴，
像孩子似的陪你天父坐下，
要知道安靜之後，就有幸福來到。
━賈維思
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April
8
“Therefore I
take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. ” (2 Cor. 12:10)
The literal translation of this verse gives a startling emphasis
to it, and makes it speak for itself with a force that we have probably never
realized. Here it is: "Therefore I take pleasure in being without
strength, in insults, in being pinched, in being chased about, in being
cooped up in a corner for Christ's sake; for when I am without strength, then
am I dynamite."
Here is the secret
of Divine all-sufficiency, to come to the end of everything in ourselves and
in our circumstances. When we reach this place, we will stop asking for
sympathy because of our hard situation or bad treatment, for we will
recognize these things as the very conditions of our blessing, and we will
turn from them to God and find in them a claim upon Him. ━A. B. Simpson.
George Matheson,
the well-known blind preacher of Scotland, who recently went to be with the
Lord, said: "My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn. I have
thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses, but not once for my thorn. I have
been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross;
but I have never thought of my cross as itself a present glory.
"Teach me the
glory of my cross; teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have
climbed to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made my
rainbows."
"Alas for
him who never sees
The stars shine
through the cypress trees."
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四月八日
“我為基督的緣故，就以軟弱，淩辱，急難，逼迫，困苦，為可喜樂的。因我甚麼時侯軟弱，甚麼時侯就剛強了。” （林後十二：10）
若是把這一節聖經直譯出來，是非常有力的。直譯該是：“我為基督的緣故，就是沒有力量，被人侮辱，受折磨，被追趕，關入絕境，還是喜樂的，因我甚麼時侯沒有力量，甚麼時侯就像炸藥一般猛烈”。
這是得神夠用恩典的秘訣：就是承認我們自己的環境和一切都已完了。當我們到了這種境地的時候，我們就不會再去求人的同情了。因為所有的患難，痛苦，都是我們得祝福的條件，我們可以藉此向神有所要求。━宣信
蘇格蘭（Scotland）的盲目佈道家馬得勝（George Matheson）說：“我的神啊，我從來沒有為我的遭遇感謝過祢。我曾為我的玫瑰感謝祢過一千次，卻沒有為我的刺感謝祢過一次。我一直注目仰望那個因背十字架而得的獎賞，卻從來沒有想到十字架本身就是現在榮耀的獎賞。
求祢給我知道十字架的榮耀；求祢給我知道刺的價值。求祢給我看見痛苦的路徑是到祢那裏去的梯級；求祢給我看見我的眼淚是築成虹彩的材料”。
“未見穿過柏樹的星光，
將是人生莫大的悲傷。”
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April
9
“All these
things are against me. ” (Gen. 42:36)
“All things
work together for good to them that love God. ”
(Rom. 8:28)
Many people are wanting power. Now how
is power produced? The other day we passed the great works where the trolley
engines are supplied with electricity. We heard the hum and roar of the countless
wheels, and we asked our friend,
"How do they
make the power?"
"Why,"
he said, "just by the revolution of those wheels and the friction they
produce. The rubbing creates the electric current."
And so, when God wants
to bring more power into your life, He brings more pressure. He is generating
spiritual force by hard rubbing. Some do not like it and try to run away from
the pressure, instead of getting the power and using it to rise above the
painful causes.
Opposition is
essential to a true equilibrium of forces. The centripetal and centrifugal
forces acting in opposition to each other keep our planet in her orbit. The
one propelling, and the other repelling, so act and re-act, that instead of
sweeping off into space in a pathway of desolation, she pursues her even
orbit around her solar centre.
So God guides our
lives. It is not enough to have an impelling force━we need just as
much a repelling force, and so He holds us back by the testing ordeals of
life, by the pressure of temptation and trial, by the things that seem
against us, but really are furthering our way and establishing our goings.
Let us thank Him
for both, let us take the weights as well as the wings, and thus divinely
impelled, let us press on with faith and patience in our high and heavenly
calling. ━A. B. Simpson.
In a factory
building there are wheels and gearings,
There are
cranks and pulleys, beltings tight or slack━
Some are
whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly,
Some are
thrusting forward, some are pulling back;
Some are smooth
and silent, some are rough and noisy,
Pounding,
rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk;
In a wild
confusion in a seeming chaos,
Lifting,
pushing, driving━but they do their work.
From the mightiest
lever to the tiniest pinion,
All things move
together for the purpose planned;
And behind the
working is a mind controlling,
And a force
directing, and a guiding hand.
So all things
are working for the Lord's beloved;
Some things
might be hurtful if alone they stood;
Some might seem
to hinder; some might draw us backward;
But they work
together, and they work for good,
All the
thwarted longings, all the stern denials,
All the
contradictions, hard to understand.
And the force that
holds them, speeds them and retards them,
Stops and
starts and guides them━is our Father's hand.
━Annie Johnson Flint.
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四月九日
“這些事都歸到我身上了。”
（創四十二：36節）
“萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處。”
（羅八：28）
許多信徒都在求能力。能力是怎樣產生的呢？有一天我們參觀電機廠，聽見無數的機輪發出軋軋的機聲來，我們就問裏邊的人說，“電力究竟是如何產生的呢？”他說，“輪與輪轉動，就生磨擦。磨擦就生電力”。
同樣的道理，當神要給你更多的能力時，祂就給你更多的難處給你起磨擦。可惜許多人不喜歡磨擦，反要逃避磨擦，因此失去了得能力的機會。
凡事都有正有反，正與反乃是平衡力量的要素。向心力和離心力互相對峙的緣故，遂能使行星在軌道上行動。一個推進，一個拉回，才會不使它越出軌道，而能繞着太陽安全運行。
神也這樣管理我們的生命。只有前進的力是不夠的，我們還需要一個拉回的力，所以神給我們一些試驗，一些反對我們的重壓；其實這些東西都是幫助我們前進的。
讓我們感謝祂；讓我們歡迎祂給我們的重壓，像歡迎祂給我們的翅膀一樣；讓我們用信心和忍耐來前進。甚麼地方有磨擦，甚麼地方就有能力。━宣信
一所工廠裏有機器和齒輪，
有曲杆與滑車，還有皮帶或緊或松，
有的旋轉如飛，有的慢慢滾動，
有的往後拉，有的向前推，
有的光滑無聲，有的粗糙喧嚷，
碰，撞，彈，跳，鏗鏘作聲。
在一個似若紛亂的混沌中，
忽升忽降忽推忽拉都是作工，
從最大的杠杆到最小的齒輪，
都是為預定的目標配合行動；
在動作的背後，有意志在控制，
有權力在指揮，有一隻手在操縱。
一切東西都在為主所愛的人作工，
若把它們單獨分開，有的可能為害；
有的似若阻礙；有的可能把我拖倒；
但它們互相效力，為了使我們得益。
一切受挫的願望，一切嚴厲的拒斥，
一切難以瞭解的矛盾齟齬。
它們的前進後退，開始和停止，
都有我們天父的力量在控制。
━芙蘭
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April
10
“Show me wherefore
thou contendest with me.” (Job 10:2)
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing
this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never
have been discovered if it were not for the trials. Dost thou not know that thy
faith never looks so grand in summer weather as it
does in winter? Love is too oft like a glowworm, showing but little light
except it be in the midst of surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star━not to be seen in
the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of
adversity. Afflictions are often the black folds in which God doth set the
jewels of His children's graces, to make them shine the better.
It was but a
little while ago that, on thy knees, thou wast
saying, "Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me know that I have
faith."
Was not this
really, though perhaps unconsciously, praying for trials?━for
how canst thou know that thou hast faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend
upon it. God often sends us trials that our graces may be discovered, and
that we may be certified of their existence. Besides, it is not merely
discovery; real growth in grace is the result of sanctified trials.
God trains His
soldiers, not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using
them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams,
and swim through rivers and climb mountains, and walk many a weary mile with
heavy knapsacks on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the
troubles through which you are passing? Is not this the reason why He is
contending with you? ━C. H. Spurgeon.
To be left unmolested by Satan is no evidence of blessing.
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四月十日
“要指示我，祢為何與我爭辯。” （伯十：2）
哦，受試煉的人們，神正在訓練你們諸般的德行。有許多德行，必須在試煉中，才會彰顯。你的信心在得意中不及在失意中表現得偉大。愛心好像螢火蟲一般，非在黑暗的環境中，發不出明亮的光來。盼望好像星一般━在順利的日光下是看不見甚麼的，惟在黑暗的夜間會照出美麗的光彩來。所有的苦難都是寶石匣內所襯的雲絨，為要叫寶石━我們的德行━顯得更美麗的。
你不是剛跪着禱告說，“主啊，我怕我沒有信心；讓我知道我有沒有信心”嗎？你這樣禱告，豈不是不知不覺地在求試煉嗎？━因為你的信心不受試煉，你怎麼能知道你有沒有信心呢？神給我們試煉，常是為着要彰顯我們的德行，讓我們可以知道我們到底有沒有這些德行。並且，試煉不只叫我們的德行彰顯，也叫我們的德行長進。
神訓練祂的兵士，不能在安適奢華的宮中訓練他們，必須在野地的營中訓練他們，祂必須打發他們出去實習━兼程進兵，勞力服役。有時叫他們攀山，有時叫他們涉水，有時叫他們游泳，有時叫他們背着重負行軍。基督徒啊，這是神的方法，難道你還抱怨麼？━司布真
不被撒但打擾，並不是得福的證據。
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