(转繁)
April 1		四月一日
“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.		“祂虽杀我，然而我还要信靠祂。” （伯十三：15直译） “因为我知道我所信的是谁。” （提后一：12直译） 我决不怀疑，虽然我的船队 在海上漂泊颠簸，帆樯破碎。 相信那从不失误的神之手， 将转灾祸为福祉充沛， 在失望中，我仍高呼信靠神， 纵然惋惜着船的破碎狼狈。 我决不怀疑，虽然祈求的一切 苍天还没有给我回音， 相信拒绝实现这些愿望， 乃是出于全智者的哀矜， 有时虽不禁愁闷， 丝毫未损我至诚不变的信心。 我决不怀疑，悲哀虽如雨降潮涨， 困难群集，像蜜蜂围聚蜂房。 相信要达成我争取的崇高目标， 唯有伤痛和苦难，才能担当， 虽在十字架下呻吟号呼， 将从惨痛失丧中获得更大报偿。 决不怀疑，我的信心碇泊稳妥， 如坚固巨艇，能受任何风浪， 绝不气馁，有的是毅力与勇敢， 足以面对那祸患莫测的海洋。 纵然牺牲尘世生命，只要一息尚存， “决不怀疑”，让这呼声播扬。 　人生如渡洋海，不免遭遇风浪。一位老于航行者说道：“当浪高如山，风疾如火时，唯一的办法，就是将船停在一个地方，让它一直留在那里。” 　在基督徒的生命中也是如此。有时，像保罗一样，“我们被风浪逼得甚急…太阳和星辰多日不愿露，又有狂风大浪催逼，我们得救的指望就都绝了”。（徒二十七：18-20）在这样的光景中，我们只能作一件事：将自己停在一个地方。 　那时候，理由不能帮助我们；竭力挣扎，也不能产生效果；以往的经验，不能给我们亮光；甚至祷告，也得不着安慰。我们只有一个方法，就是安息我们自己在一个地方，一直留在那里。 　我们只能安息在神的胸怀中；来的无论是狂风，暴雨，骇浪，怒涛，轰雷，闪电，浓雾，冰山…我们只要紧紧抓住舵柄━神的信实，誓约，和在基督耶稣里不止息的爱━好了。━付勒
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.		四月二日 “他们…观看，不料，耶和华的荣光在云中显现。” （出十六：10） 　黑云当空时，当养成一个习惯：一直看它银色的夹里，不去看它黑色的面子。 　事情无论怎样糟，不可落到失望的地步。人失望简直等于无望。因为一个失望的人，既不能抵抗仇敌的攻击，又不能为人发出有效的代祷。 　当逃避这样可怕的仇敌━失望，━犹如逃避一条致命的毒蛇一般。不要在它面前慢慢地转身，除非你愿意一败涂地。 　在神前搜寻祂的应许。既得着了，就用指头指着它说：“神，祢曾说过这个。这应许是给我的”。若是你仍感觉怀疑或失望，向神倾心吐意地求祂为你斥责欺侮你的仇敌。 　一等到你全心离开不信和失望，圣灵立刻要复活你的信心，将属天的能力吹入你里面去。 　起先你也许不觉得有甚么动静，可是你只要决心抵抗每一个偏于疑惑和失望的倾向，你就会看见黑暗的势力败退。 　哦，巴不得我们的眼睛能看见在黑暗势力后面的神的权能，我们就不会惧怕仇敌的狡猾，恶魔欲使我们落入悲伤，抑郁，灰心，气馁等的各种欺骗，将不值得一顾了。 神所具有伟大的权力，都是为了维护我们脆弱的心灵，只要奉基督的名，与纯洁无邪的信心，依靠神，向神祈求和引导。━选 　一天，我看见草场上躺着一只重伤的老鹰。牠的眼睛仍在射出光来。牠慢慢地转过牠的头来，再望一望牠所渴幕的天空。牠以前常在那里疾驰高飞。这美丽的天空是牠心目中的老家。牠曾千万次在那里表演牠的勇力。牠曾在高处与闪电同玩，与疾风竞走；现在呢，离家这么远，只因一次不小心飞得太低，就在这里等死。啊，让我们拿老鹰来比我们的心：世界并不是我们的老家。虽然我们在世上受了创伤，但是我们的心还得向着天家。我们应该守住信心，守住盼望，守住勇气，守住基督。如果我们没有勇气，我们还是早些离开战场的好。我的魂哪，你当仰望天！ 继续向天盼望， 围着你怒号的浪涛， 就会被耶和华一扫而光！ 当你向天盼望。 继续向天盼望， 虽然灵魂如被笼罩黑乡， 但终于充满了永恒之光， 当你向天盼望。 继续向天盼望， 虽然到了疲惫志丧， 主会给你得胜的力量， 当你向天盼望。 眼望西方，我们永远看不见日出。━日本谚语
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?"		四月三日 “因你们要在火中荣耀耶和华。” （赛二十四：15直译） 　注意这小字“在！”我们要在火中━试炼中（彼前四：12）━荣耀祂。虽然那里是一个受苦的地方，我们要用信心来荣耀祂。我们相信祂是良善的，慈爱的，祂既准许“火炼的试验临到”我们，我们相信试炼过后，我们会有更多赞美和感谢的根据。 　只有大信心才能通过火的试炼，小信必注定失败，让我们争取烈火中的得胜！━濮登 　在困难中的人才能表现他的信心坚决，被投入烈焰中的三个少年人（但以理的同伴），他们从火焰中出来的时候，和被投进去的时候只有一点不同━他们的捆绑已经解除了。 　神使他们经过了炉火的试炼，结果毫无损伤━身体不伤，头发不焦，衣裳不变色，也没有火燎气味。前后不同的就是身上缺了捆绑，脸上添了荣光。难怪亵渎神的尼布甲尼撒不得不屈服来赞美荣耀神了。今天基督徒从试炼的炉中出来的时候，也该这样━脱了捆绑，添上荣光，丝毫不受火的影响。 “就仗着十字架夸胜。”（西二：15） 　这是真正的得胜，从疾病中战胜病魔，从奄奄一息中战胜死亡，从逆境中战胜。必需相信，在奋斗中，有一种使我们胜利的力量。要从试炼之中去获取胜利。基督在祂的屈辱中得到胜利。我们的胜利，或许也要从别人认为屈辱的境遇中去发现。━濮登 　有许多人，肩头上压着沉重的担子，心中仍满了喜乐，岂非可奇吗？有许多人在受到逼迫攻击下，仍能得胜有余，岂非可敬？有许多人身体破碎，仍保持着完好的信心，岂非可羡？他们对神的恩典，这些都是最美好的见证。━乔怀德 人间的支柱都在动摇， 生命如在烈火中煎熬， 你是否不愧为基督信徒， 镇定，自在而心无牢骚？
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.		四月四日 “以利沙祷告说，耶和华啊，求祢开这少年人的眼目，使他能看见。” （王下六：17） 　这一个祷告，也是我们需要为己为人求神的，“耶和华啊，开我们的眼目，使我们能看见；”因为在我们四围，和当日神人一样，都是火车火马，等待带领我们进入荣耀的胜利。当我们的眼目开启了以后，我们就能看见生活中所有的事情━无论大小，无论顺逆━都是我们进入胜利的“火车”。 　山一般大的难处，也可以作我们的“火车”，只消我们看它是我们的“火车”；反而言之芥菜子那样的小事也可以作我们的“极轧闹车”。（印度教中费熙奴偶像所乘之车谓之“极轧闹车”。当车出行时，教徒躺身于地，任轮碾过伤命）。 　这是我们各人自己定规的。这并不在事情的大小，乃在我们如何去看它。如果我们躺下来，任其碾过，顶小的难处也是我们的“极轧闹车”；如果我们爬上去，乘在上面，天大的难事也是神的“火车”，带领我们进入胜利的。━司密斯 　神不能重用一个失望的人，因为仇敌的诡计就是尽力将神的子民推入绝望的境地去。常有人说：“垂头丧气的军队出去打仗，结果是稳败的”。这句话一点不错。今天我们需要知道仇敌怎样在我们的里面施行攻击，我们应当怎样去抵挡他。如果仇敌能把我们逐出阵地，他就能“折磨”我们（但七：25）叫我们全然失败，失去胜利的呼声。所以我们应当怎样小心站牢我们的阵地啊！
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."		四月五日 “关上门，你和你儿子在里面。”（王下四：4） 　他们必须关上门，与世隔别，专一亲近神；因为他们不是靠自然的定律，不是靠世人的方法，不是靠教会的帮助，不是靠先知的神迹；他们必须从可借助的人们，从可靠的环境，从可信的理由中出来，专一到密室中去亲近神。 　这里就是神课程中的一段，每一个信徒在隔离的密室中操练祷告和信心是非常有效果的。 　许多时侯，许多地方，神特地在我们四周围一层神秘的墙来环绕我们，不让我们和人的计谋和办法接触；在那里神要我们依靠一个新而出乎常情的办法；绝非旧环境所能适合，在没有进入这个环境之先，亦非事先可以料想；换一句话说，就是在那里神替我们裁一件新式的服装，叫我们穿了像祂自己。 　多数的信徒都过着刻板文章一般的生活，他们知道甚么事情在甚么时侯发生，该用甚么方法对付；但是神抱有特别盼望的信徒，常被神圈在一个隔离的处境中，和一切常情向例断绝，使他们知道只有神在维护他们，他们的希望也唯有仰望于神。 　让我们像这个寡妇一样：外面与世隔离，里面与神亲近；这样，我们就会看见神的神迹了。━译自灵食 　在最痛的试炼中，神常给你们的最甜。━珍宝 神有时关了门，使我们与世隔绝， 或许还要经过了悲愁与苦痛， 向我们倾吐胸臆。 此时已经外界的尘嚣， 心心相印，给我们宝贵的信息。
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."		四月六日 “我要站在守望所，立在望楼上观看，看耶和华对我说甚么话。” （哈二：1） 　不等神的帮助，不得神的帮助。许多时侯我们从神那里得不到所求的，都因为我们没有等候祂的答应。许多从天来的援助只经过我们，而不临到我们，都是因为我们没有站在守望所远远看它临近，开我们的心门来迎接它。所以一个人的期待，倘使不能警觉到神助之将临，所得必属稀少。在你生命的过程中，应随时注意着神。 　古谚有云：“凡是等候天神的人，就无需天神守护”。反过来也可以说：“凡是不守候天神的人，就没有天神守护他”。天下雨的时侯，你如果不把你的水缸拿出来，你还是得不到水。 　人到银行里去支钱，决不会一会儿进去，一会儿出来，一会儿把支票放在柜台上，一会儿把它收回来━如果有人一天这样作几次的话，我想定规会有命令下来把这人赶出去。凡诚心到银行里来拿钱的人，都是把支票交出来，静静地在那里等待，直到他们拿到了钱，然后出去的。 　正常的人往银行去取款，决不会把支票放下，反而空论签字的笔法如何，纸张的优劣又如何。记着，人到银行的目的是取款，取不到不罢休，这才是银行欢迎的顾客，不是浪费时间去作无聊之事。啊，可惜今天有顶多的人把祷告当作儿戏。他们祷告了，不等神的答应，就收回了；再求，再收。 　信徒们，让我们学习在守望所的望楼上多守候神！━司布真 “你的指望…不至断绝。”（箴二十三：18）
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.		四月七日 “你们要安静，要知道我是神。” （诗四十六：10） 　若要真认识神，内心的镇静是绝对必需的。我记得我当初怎样学习这功课，那时正有一件大难处临头，我焦急得全身颤动，所有的血管都紧张，事情又需要立即对付；可是四周的环境又不容我移动丝毫，可以帮助我的人，又不愿动作。 　因着内心的纷乱，我的身体好象要四分五裂了，忽然一个微小的声音在灵的深处向我说：“你要安静，要知道我是神”。我接受了这真带有能力的劝告，于是镇定我的身体，约束我那搅乱的灵，使之安静，把我的急难交给神，仰望等候祂；我觉得真有一股力量从镇静中出来应付难处。结果，事情平安过去，我自己在祂里面得了安息。这是我最宝贝的经历，因为从此我更认识了神。━司密斯 　这种不动，并不是懒惰，乃是从信心产生的一种活的镇静。如果紧张而不露声色，故作镇静，仍非信心的结果，不过是抑制住了焦虑而已，并非真正的镇静。 先知听见天上启示的声音， 并非在狂风暴雨的时辰， 也非地震或火灾之时， 神在万籁无声降临。 灵魂哪，在神的座前要安详， 你的忧困虽如浪潮起伏， 在祈求与愿望中保持镇静， 盼听神启示你万全之方。 集中用力，需有间歇的休憩 每次静止，生出新的能力， 最美丽的赞颂乐曲， 其间也有短时间的默息。 休息吧，休息在肃静的灵里， 暂时把语言，思虑和行动搁起， 让整个身心，寂寞在神的控制中， 领会祂一言一笑的全部意义。 不要像运动员争夺锦标， 要登天堂，不可凭意志的强暴， 像孩子似的陪你天父坐下， 要知道安静之后，就有幸福来到。 ━賈維思
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."		四月八日 “我为基督的缘故，就以软弱，凌辱，急难，逼迫，困苦，为可喜乐的。因我甚么时侯软弱，甚么时侯就刚强了。” （林后十二：10） 　若是把这一节圣经直译出来，是非常有力的。直译该是：“我为基督的缘故，就是没有力量，被人侮辱，受折磨，被追赶，关入绝境，还是喜乐的，因我甚么时侯没有力量，甚么时侯就像炸药一般猛烈”。 　这是得神够用恩典的秘诀：就是承认我们自己的环境和一切都已完了。当我们到了这种境地的时候，我们就不会再去求人的同情了。因为所有的患难，痛苦，都是我们得祝福的条件，我们可以藉此向神有所要求。━宣信 　苏格兰（Scotland）的盲目布道家马得胜（George Matheson）说：“我的神啊，我从来没有为我的遭遇感谢过祢。我曾为我的玫瑰感谢祢过一千次，却没有为我的刺感谢祢过一次。我一直注目仰望那个因背十字架而得的奖赏，却从来没有想到十字架本身就是现在荣耀的奖赏。 　求祢给我知道十字架的荣耀；求祢给我知道刺的价值。求祢给我看见痛苦的路径是到祢那里去的梯级；求祢给我看见我的眼泪是筑成虹彩的材料”。 “未见穿过柏树的星光， 将是人生莫大的悲伤。”
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.		四月九日 “这些事都归到我身上了。” （创四十二：36节） “万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处。” （罗八：28） 　许多信徒都在求能力。能力是怎样产生的呢？有一天我们参观电机厂，听见无数的机轮发出轧轧的机声来，我们就问里边的人说，“电力究竟是如何产生的呢？”他说，“轮与轮转动，就生磨擦。磨擦就生电力”。 　同样的道理，当神要给你更多的能力时，祂就给你更多的难处给你起磨擦。可惜许多人不喜欢磨擦，反要逃避磨擦，因此失去了得能力的机会。 　凡事都有正有反，正与反乃是平衡力量的要素。向心力和离心力互相对峙的缘故，遂能使行星在轨道上行动。一个推进，一个拉回，才会不使它越出轨道，而能绕着太阳安全运行。 　神也这样管理我们的生命。只有前进的力是不够的，我们还需要一个拉回的力，所以神给我们一些试验，一些反对我们的重压；其实这些东西都是帮助我们前进的。 　让我们感谢祂；让我们欢迎祂给我们的重压，像欢迎祂给我们的翅膀一样；让我们用信心和忍耐来前进。甚么地方有磨擦，甚么地方就有能力。━宣信 一所工厂里有机器和齿轮， 有曲杆与滑车，还有皮带或紧或松， 有的旋转如飞，有的慢慢滚动， 有的往后拉，有的向前推， 有的光滑无声，有的粗糙喧嚷， 碰，撞，弹，跳，铿锵作声。 在一个似若纷乱的混沌中， 忽升忽降忽推忽拉都是作工， 从最大的杠杆到最小的齿轮， 都是为预定的目标配合行动； 在动作的背后，有意志在控制， 有权力在指挥，有一只手在操纵。 一切东西都在为主所爱的人作工， 若把它们单独分开，有的可能为害； 有的似若阻碍；有的可能把我拖倒； 但它们互相效力，为了使我们得益。 一切受挫的愿望，一切严厉的拒斥， 一切难以了解的矛盾龃龉。 它们的前进后退，开始和停止， 都有我们天父的力量在控制。 ━芙蘭
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.		四月十日 “要指示我，祢为何与我争辩。” （伯十：2） 　哦，受试炼的人们，神正在训练你们诸般的德行。有许多德行，必须在试炼中，才会彰显。你的信心在得意中不及在失意中表现得伟大。爱心好像萤火虫一般，非在黑暗的环境中，发不出明亮的光来。盼望好像星一般━在顺利的日光下是看不见甚么的，惟在黑暗的夜间会照出美丽的光彩来。所有的苦难都是宝石匣内所衬的云绒，为要叫宝石━我们的德行━显得更美丽的。 　你不是刚跪着祷告说，“主啊，我怕我没有信心；让我知道我有没有信心”吗？你这样祷告，岂不是不知不觉地在求试炼吗？━因为你的信心不受试炼，你怎么能知道你有没有信心呢？神给我们试炼，常是为着要彰显我们的德行，让我们可以知道我们到底有没有这些德行。并且，试炼不只叫我们的德行彰显，也叫我们的德行长进。 　神训练祂的兵士，不能在安适奢华的宫中训练他们，必须在野地的营中训练他们，祂必须打发他们出去实习━兼程进兵，劳力服役。有时叫他们攀山，有时叫他们涉水，有时叫他们游泳，有时叫他们背着重负行军。基督徒啊，这是神的方法，难道你还抱怨么？━司布真 不被撒但打扰，并不是得福的证据。

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