January 19
So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him. — Genesis 12:4
Scripture reading: Genesis 12:1–9
For twenty-five years, Abraham believed the promise that God would give him a son. For twenty-five years, he stood face-to-face with God on the promise, every year expecting to have a son. Sarah was becoming weaker, and Abraham‘s own stamina and body were becoming frailer. Natural conditions were changing both Sarah and him so that, as far as they could see, it would be humanly impossible for them to bring forth fruit. But Abraham dared not look either at Sarah or himself in that respect. He had to look at God. You cannot find anywhere that God ever failed. He wants to bring us into that blessed place of faith, changing us into a real substance of faith, until we are so like-minded that whatever we ask, we believe we receive, and our joy becomes full because we believe. I want you to see how God covered Abraham because he believed.
Hear what God said to Abraham, and then see how Abraham acted. He was among his own people and his own kindred, and God said to him, “Come out, Abraham, come out!” And Abraham obeyed and came out, not knowing where he was going. You will never go through with God in any area except by believing Him. It is “Thus says the Lord” every time, and you will see the plan of God come right through when you dare to believe. Abraham left his own country, and God was with him. Because he believed God, God overshadowed him.
When God sets His seal upon you, the Devil will not dare to break it. You know what a seal is, don‘t you? Now, then, when God puts His seal upon you, the Devil has no power there. He will not dare to break that seal and go through, and God puts His seal on the people who believe Him.
There are two kinds of righteousness. There is a righteousness that is according to the law, the keeping of the law, but there is a better righteousness than that. You ask, “What could be better than keeping the law?” The righteousness that sees God and obeys Him in everything is better. The righteousness that believes that every prayer uttered is going to bring the answer from God is better. There is a righteousness that is made known only to the heart that knows God. There is a side to the inner man that God can reveal only to the one who believes Him.
We have many scriptural illustrations as well as personal ones to show us how God works with those who believe Him. One of the greatest examples of all is where God worked in Abraham. There were many good points about Sarah, but she had not reached the place of trusting fully in God. She laughed and then denied having done so (Genesis 18:12, 15). Before that, when they had waited a time and she had seen that their bodies were growing frailer, she had said, “It will be just as good for you to take Hagar for a wife and bring forth a son through her.” (See Genesis 16:1–2.) But that was not the seed of Abraham that God had spoken about, and that caused a great deal of trouble in the house of Abraham.
The one who walks with God can only afford to follow God‘s leadings, and when He leads you, it is direct and clear. The evidence is so real that every day you know that God is with you, unfolding His plan to you. It is lovely to be in the will of God.
There is a higher order than the natural man, and God wants to bring us into this higher order where we will believe Him. In the first place, God promised Abraham a son. Could a child be born into the world, except through the natural law? It was when all natural law was finished and when there was no substance in these two persons, Abraham and Sarah, that the law of the Spirit brought forth a son. It was the law of faith in the God who had promised.
Thought for today: Prayer not only changes things but also changes you. The person of prayer recognizes his great inheritance of faith.
信靠上帝的应许
1月19日
于是亚伯兰就照耶和华所吩咐的离开了他本地。 —— 创世记 12:4
圣经朗读：创世记 12:1–9
二十五年来，亚伯拉罕相信上帝会赐给他一个儿子的应许。二十五年来，他每年都站在上帝面前面对这个应许，期待着有一个儿子。撒拉的身体越来越虚弱，亚伯拉罕自己的体力和身体也日渐衰弱。自然条件正在改变撒拉和他本人，以至于在他们看来，从人类的角度来看，他们几乎不可能生育。但亚伯拉罕不敢在这方面看自己或撒拉。他必须看向上帝。你找不到任何地方说上帝曾经失败过。他希望带领我们进入那蒙福的信心之地，将我们改变为真实的信心实质，直到我们心意一致，无论我们求什么，都相信已经得着，并且因为信而使我们的喜乐充足。我希望你能看到，由于亚伯拉罕的信心，上帝是如何看顾他的。
听神对亚伯拉罕说了什么，然后看看亚伯拉罕是如何行动的。他在自己的民族和亲族中，神对他说：“亚伯拉罕，出来，出来吧！”亚伯拉罕听从了，出来了，却不知道要去往何处。你在任何领域里都不能与神同行，除非你相信祂。每一次都是“主如此说”，当你敢于相信时，你会看到神的计划完全实现。亚伯拉罕离开了自己的本国，神与他同在。因为他相信神，神就荫庇了他。
当上帝在你身上盖上印记时，魔鬼不敢去破坏它。你知道印记是什么，对吧？那么，当上帝在你身上盖上印记时，魔鬼在那里没有权力。他不敢破坏那个印记去侵犯，而上帝把印记盖在那些信靠他的人身上。
有两种义。一种是按律法的义，就是遵守律法，但还有一种比这更好的义。你会问：“比遵守律法更好的是什么呢？”那种看到上帝并在一切事上顺从祂的义更好。那种相信每一声祷告都会得到上帝回应的义更好。有一种义只向认识上帝的心显明。内心深处有一面，只有相信祂的人，上帝才能向他显明。
我们有许多圣经中的例证以及个人的例证来向我们展示神如何与那些信靠祂的人一同工作。最伟大的例子之一是神在亚伯拉罕身上所做的工作。撒拉有许多优点，但她尚未完全信靠神。她笑了，然后又否认自己笑过（创世记 18:12, 15）。在那之前，当他们等待了一段时间并且她看到他们的身体日渐衰弱时，她曾说：“你若与哈拿同房，并且借她生一个儿子，也一样好。”（参见创世记 16:1–2。）但那并非神所说的亚伯拉罕的后裔，这给亚伯拉罕的家带来了很大的麻烦。
与神同行的人只能跟随神的引导，当祂引导你时，这引导是直接而清晰的。证据如此真实，以至于你每天都知道神与你同在，向你展开祂的计划。处在神的旨意中是美好的。
有一种高于自然人的秩序，神希望将我们带入这个更高的秩序，在那里我们会信靠祂。首先，神应许亚伯拉罕一个儿子。除了通过自然律，孩子能降生到世上吗？当所有自然律都达成，并且在这两个人——亚伯拉罕和撒拉——中间没有任何物质之时，灵的律生出了一个儿子。这是信靠应许给我们的神的信心之律。
今日思考：祷告不仅能改变事物，也能改变你自己。祷告的人意识到他伟大的信仰遗产。
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